


A Better Place To Be

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-13 09:41:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 25,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21492235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: Of all the bars in the Quantico area, Erin Strauss just had to walk into hers. And Penelope knows that no matter what happens, she has to get to know the woman better.
Relationships: David Rossi/Erin Strauss, Penelope Garcia/Erin Strauss
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

Penelope found herself looking up from the glass she was wiping to watch an elegant woman stride into Persephone's, a flat look on her face. From the way that she was dressed, Penelope could tell that the woman came from money, and though her bar wasn't exactly a dive, it also wasn't a place where someone like her would be expected. Slapping a friendly smile on her lips, she watched as the woman approached the bar and took a seat there. She went over to her side and rested her elbow on the bar top, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the woman. "What can I get you, darlin'?"

The woman gave her a cool look, as if she didn't appreciate how forward Penelope was with her. "A glass of gin, no tonic, please."

There was a slightly imperious tone to her voice, as if she was accustomed to being listened to, and Penelope nodded as she turned to the bottles behind her. "Do you like Bombay Sapphire?" she asked without turning around, her eyes scanning the shelves for the gin.

"Yes."

"Good," she replied off-handedly as she zeroed in on the Bombay bottle. "Do you want to try something similar, and just as delicious?"

"I suppose."

Penelope smiled as she grabbed the bottle of Rock Rose next to the Bombay Sapphire and set it on the barback, grabbing a glass and pouring out a full pour for the woman before turning around and setting it in front of her. "I hope you like this. It's new to our bar, and I keep trying to get people to try it," she said as she slid the glass over to her. "Enjoy!"

The woman gave her a small smile, and Penelope nodded before heading over to the only other patron currently at the bar. From the corner of her eye, she watched as the woman brought the glass to her lips, taking a cautious sip. There was something unspeakable lovely about the motion, and the pang in Penelope's heart told her that she was going to regret never seeing the woman again. After all, this one time was an anomaly, and there was no way that she would ever darken Persephone's doors again. "She's really pretty," her regular, Harry, said and she gave him a small nod.

"She is, but like all pretty things, she's ephemeral. I was blessed with this one time of seeing her, and that will be the only time that happens. I just have to be happy for this, right?"

Harry nodded a little before picking up his glass and sipping at his beer. "That is almost sweet enough to turn into a song, Kitten."

"And you're talented enough to do it," she shot back before turning her attention back to the woman. She really wished that she knew her name, but wasn't opposed to giving her a new moniker, something just as elegant as she was, and Penelope decided on Catherine, like the Empress of old. The woman, Catherine, must have noticed the scrutiny that Penelope was paying her, since she raised her now empty glass, a wry smile on her lips. Penelope nodded and hurried over to her side, picking up the bottle of Rock Rose as she approached her. "Would you like another glass, ma'am?" she asked, trying to sound sweet and pleasant, wanting her voice to be the thing that brought the woman back to her.

"Yes. That is rather delicious, and I've never encountered it before."

"I was over in Scotland last year and tasted this beauty. As soon as it hit my lips, I knew that we had to stock it. Sure, it costs a little more than Tanqueray, but the flavor is worth the little bit extra. Don't you think?" she purred as she poured out another measure for her.

"I do. So, this is your bar?" she asked, and Penelope nodded as she once more leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she met the other woman's gaze steadily. "You're a little young for that, aren't you?"

Penelope giggled a little as she shook her head. "I am older than I appear, ma'am, but this was my father's bar before I inherited it. Though I did change the name and the décor when it became mine. If you like it, you're always free to come back. We'll be here to welcome you."

The woman let out a rich, throaty, laugh, one that caused her knees to knock a little as she watched her face transform into a vision of loveliness. "You certainly do know how to charm people, don't you?"

"I've been told that I live up to my name. Just like the Penelope from the _Odyssey_, I know how to put people at ease and make certain that they don't cause a ruckus."

"I'll have to remember that, Penelope," the woman said as she lifted her glass to her lips once more, taking a long drink before setting the glass down. Penelope noticed the slight remnant of her lipstick on the rim, thinking that the dusky pink color suited the woman so well. "Now, I should probably settle my tab and head home. Unlike Odysseus, I have no excuse for being late, and my children will be most disappointed if I don't return."

She nodded, trying not to allow disappointment to show on her face. It figured that the woman was attached to someone, since she was so pretty, but still, she had hoped that there was some tiny chance that she would be single. Still, when Penelope took her credit card from her outstretched fingers, she couldn't help but notice the small spark that passed between them. From the look on the woman's face, Penelope knew that she had felt it as well, and it was all she could do to keep the pleased smile from her lips as she turned and went to the register, unable to stop herself from looking at the name on the card as she ran it. "Erin," she breathed out, attaching the name to the lovely woman's face before she brought the receipts and card back to Erin's side, pulling a pen out of her apron pocket.

"A flower to make certain that no one steals your pen?" Erin asked, and Penelope blushed as she nodded. "It's a very pretty flower."

"Not as pretty as the woman holding it." The moment the words slipped out of her lips, Penelope wished that she could recall them, knowing that the heavy flirting wasn't appropriate in the least. Erin just raised an eyebrow as she signed the receipt with a flourish before handing both to her. "Have a good day!" she managed to squeak out as Erin got up from her stool and strode towards the door.

"You as well, Penelope."

With those words, Erin was gone, and Penelope felt her shoulders slump a little as she trudged over to Harry, pouring him a fresh glass of beer. "Well, I fucked that up, didn't I?"

He shrugged a little as he smiled widely at her. "She didn't tell you off, Penny."

"Yeah, but she's in a relationship of some sort. She has children."

"So? She could be divorced, too. But in the scheme of things, does it really matter? After all, you probably won't see her again."

"Don't remind me, Harry." She let out a sigh as she went back over to where Erin had been seated, picking up her glass and slowly cleaning it, letting her thumb run over the lip print left behind, wishing that she could change places with the glass and have felt Erin's lips for herself. But that was a pipe dream, and she had to keep thinking about the future.


	2. Chapter 2

It was late when she closed down the bar, and Penelope hurried over to her car, trying not to be unsettled by the darkness of the night. Some nights were worse than others, and this was one where every little noise was setting her on edge. Finally, she reached her vehicle and climbed behind the wheel, turning it on and making her way home. She was still keyed up from meeting Erin, and since she had gotten a name to go with the face, she knew that she would be using her hacking skills to try and find out a little more about the woman.

It was a relief when she pulled into the parking lot for her apartment complex, and she tried to emulate Erin in her walk as she made her way over to the door. There was something about that gait that made her feel more confident, and Penelope make a mental note to start incorporating that into her regular habits, knowing that more confidence was always a good thing. As the elevator rose up to her floor, Penelope pulled out her phone and quickly scanned the messages there, returning the one her friend Haley had sent her. Her husband was away on a case in Milwaukee, and she was lonely, which didn't surprise Penelope all that much. Having a toddler was hard enough, without having an FBI agent for a husband.

Just as she pressed the send button on her phone, the elevator doors opened, and she stepped out, making her way to her apartment as she then texted her morning bartender. _Derek, I think that I managed to leave everything in order for you for tomorrow. Please remember not to call me unless absolutely necessary. I don't particularly care for pulling doubles, but since Gideon called out, I didn't have any other choice. Love you!_

With that taken care of, Penelope let herself inside before locking the door and slipping out of her shoes. Once she was inside her home, she allowed her shoulders to lose some of the tension she had been carrying around since she had realized that she was going to have to open and close the bar. Of course, she had had a few other employees with her, helping her through the evening rush, but Ashley and Jordan were only so much help when her energy was severely flagging. Letting out a little groan, Penelope cracked her back before making her way over to the sofa and plopping down on it, stretching out as she grabbed her laptop and opened it. While she waited for it to boot up, she tugged the hair tie out of her hair, letting it fall down around her shoulders.

"All right, let's see what we can find out about you, Erin Strauss," she said lowly as she launched Firefox and began to do a search for the woman, keeping it limited to the DC area. She was mildly surprised to find out that there was only one, and the first picture that popped up was of the woman who had been in her bar earlier that afternoon. She let out a soft sigh as she gazed at the picture before shaking her head to clear away the less than platonic thoughts. Knowing that a good way to get to know someone was to check if they had been in the news lately, she clicked on that tab and felt her eyes widen with shock to see that this Erin worked at the FBI, overseeing the department that Haley's husband worked for.

That was a little too odd, and so Penelope thought that she had perhaps fallen down the rabbit hole as she read the article, surprised to see that it was talking about the fact that she would be welcoming back a former colleague, who was coming out of retirement to take a position recently vacated. It wasn't until she looked at the picture at the bottom of the article that she understood why that was news, since she recognized him as one of her favorite true crime authors. "Shut up! She gets to work with _the_ David Rossi? If she ever shows up in my bar again, I am going to have to figure out a way to bring that up in casual conversation."

Smiling to herself, she read a few more things that she could find on the woman before doing a little light hacking to see what her marital status was. A pleased smile spread across her lips to see that the woman was currently divorced, which meant that there was the slightest possibility of a chance with her. Letting out another soft sigh, she clicked off the search results, knowing that if she spent much more time looking into Erin's past, then if she really did see her in Persephone again, she'd be more likely slip up and let on that she knew too much, and then she would never get close to her.

Instead, she went to Twitter and scrolled through her feed until she noticed the fact that she had a new notification. As her brow furrowed a little, Penelope clicked on the bell and let out a soft gasp to see that the very woman she had just been thinking about had decided to follow her on that platform. Without even hesitating, Penelope followed her back before scrolling through her past tweets. There were a few pictures of her children there, and she had to remind herself that she couldn't like any of them, since then Erin would know that she had been creeping on her. And that would never do. Instead, she just contented herself with the knowledge that she had made enough of an impression on the woman to warrant her following her on Twitter.

Knowing that she couldn't let it go without saying something to someone, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and texted Haley. _So, it's a little too early to be this hopeful, but a total fox walked into my bar today, and apparently she works with Aaron? Anyway, she totally looked me up on Twitter and followed me. At this point, I don't know if it's a good thing, but I'm going to take it as a sign. You just need to remind me not to scroll and like, because we both know that being an online creeper is not a good look on anyone. Anyway, let me know how Aaron likes working with a famous author! Talk to you soon, PG_

After sending her text off, she closed her laptop and got up from the sofa, padding into the bathroom and stripping off her clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor as she stepped into the shower and washed the day from her skin. The warm water felt good against her back, and she groaned a little as she raised her arms to wash her hair. As she did that, Penelope couldn't help but think about how her next conversation with Erin might go, if it ever happened. She knew that she wanted to get to know more about the woman, to organically build up a friendship, before maybe seeing if she wanted to take things in a different direction. Still, she knew that it was most likely all a pipe dream, and that she would never see Erin again, and the most that she would be left with was seeing the occasional tweet from Erin and following her life that way. Letting out a deep sigh, she washed the conditioner from her hair and tried to focus on what truly needed her attention in that moment, and that was making certain she remembered to place her order for the bar, which she would still need to do, despite taking the day off tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

"Kitten, try to control your reaction, but that dame you were talking to the other day has returned."

Penelope wrinkled her nose up at Harry a little, shaking her head. "Dame? Really? Are you deliberately channeling the Fifties here?" she asked as she turned her head a little to see that Erin had indeed come back to her bar, and was taking a seat on the very same stool that she had used before. "This has to be a good sign, yes?"

"Yes. This is the third time she's come, so she's well on her way to becoming a regular, like me."

"Third time?" Penelope asked, hoping that her voice wasn't as loud as it sounded to her ears. A quick glance at Erin told her that her words had gone unnoticed, and she returned her gaze to Harry, waiting for him to explain.

"Yeah, she was here last week, when it was just Derek working the day shift. She seemed kind of disappointed that you weren't here, too. Now go over there and strike up a conversation, okay?"

She nodded, feeling a silly grin slip across her lips as she went over to Erin's side, picking up the bottle of Rock Rose gin as she went. "Fancy seeing you here again."

"Yes, well, I like the atmosphere here, what can I say. And I especially appreciate the fact that you've served me once and remember what you poured for me earlier. Though there is one thing that I am rather disappointed about."

Penelope couldn't tell if Erin was teasing her or being serious, but as she poured out her glass of gin, she gave the woman a slight smirk and leaned in as she slid the glass over to her. "And what would that be, Erin?"

The woman's fingers brushed against the back of Penelope's hand as she took the glass from her hand and brought it to her lips, taking a couple of sips before she answered. "I was expecting to see you here last Friday and was instead met with a very handsome man getting me my gin. He's very good at his job, don't get me wrong, but he doesn't have quite your charms."

Penelope swallowed thickly, certain that Erin was flirting with her this time, and she shrugged a little as she wiped her hands against her apron before meeting Erin's eyes as steadily as she could. "Well, even the owner needs a day off once in a while. And when one of your employees decides that watching birds is more important than coming in to work, well, I was a little bit tired after opening and closing my bar. Der is really good at his job, you're right, which is why he's my business partner. No one can run an operation like this on their own, after all."

Erin nodded as she gave Penelope a little smile. "That is very true." A stilted silence slipped around them as Penelope watched her nurse her drink. From the corner of her eye, she watched Harry motion towards her to pick the conversation back up, but she couldn't honestly think of anything to say, since she was so enthralled with just watching Erin. "So, I hear that you tangentially know one of my agents."

Penelope choked on air as her eyes bugged out a little, and she tried to hide her reaction by pushing her glasses up her nose. Still, she knew that she couldn't hide her blush, and she hoped that Erin wouldn't notice it as she cleared her throat. "Oh?"

"Yes. Aaron Hotchner?"

"Ah! Haley's husband! Yeah, I knew he worked for the FBI, didn't know you worked for them, though. How, how did that come up in conversation?" she babbled as threw a desperate look at Harry. He was just wearing a knowing smirk on his face as he raised his glass slightly before taking a small sip of beer, and she tried to refocus on Erin.

"Haley actually said something to him, and he confusedly asked me if I was trying to get dirt on him by befriending his wife's friends. I take it that you researched me after I followed you on Twitter?"

There was something a little too pleased about the smile on Erin's face, and she drew in a long breath as she shrugged. "I thought that you had probably done the same, since my Twitter isn't publicly known." It was Erin's turn to blush a little as she looked away from Penelope, sipping at her gin before tapping the lip with her finger. Penelope nodded as she topped Erin's drink off and then she was spreading her hands out on the bar as she watched the woman. "So, since I did do a cursory Google search, I couldn't help but notice that you're going to be welcoming someone famous to your team."

Erin rolled her eyes a little as she shook her head. "Do not remind me."

"Is there something wrong with this Rossi guy?" She didn't know why she felt so defensive of Erin, but there was something about the way she was reacting that seemed to feed into that feeling. "Erin?"

"He was with the BAU before, though he chose to retire and write, to make a name for himself on the backs of everyone he worked with. Some of the portrayals in his first two books were less than kind, and there were a number of people who didn't appreciate the way they came off. Having to try and mitigate the ire from those coworkers was less than ideal, and I still have a bit of a chip on my shoulder when it comes to him."

"Is that all?" Erin shot a small glare at her, which told Penelope exactly what she needed to know. "I see that you're not protesting, Erin. Come on, do you fancy him?"

She let out a sharp bark of laughter as she shook her head. "Are you suddenly English?" she asked before sipping at her gin.

"Hey, there are a number of hot British people that I wouldn't mind snogging, not limited to Prince William and Countess Sophie." Erin arched an eyebrow as she nodded. "But I think that you are trying to avoid answering my question by distracting me."

"Guilty. And I am fresh from my divorce and do not need anyone else striking my fancy. Though we always did play with fire back then." Those words intrigued Penelope, and she leaned in a little, hoping that Erin would fill her in more. "It's not something that I'm proud of, mind, but there was one staff Christmas party where we all got a little more drunk than we'd ever been before, and one thing led to another…"

"And you ended up screwing in a supply closet?" she filled in as Erin's voice trailed off. The blush became a little more pronounced, and Penelope swallowed the squeal that threatened to escape her lips. "I thought things like that only happened in apocryphal stories on the internet!"

"Yes, well, it wasn't our finest moment, and I never told my ex-husband that it happened. Though after that, it was pretty apparent that my marriage wouldn't be lasting very much longer. Because I couldn't quite keep myself from comparing Alan to David, and finding him lacking, to say the least."

"Hey, it happens. And if you do get the opening, go for it. We only live once, after all. Though I hope you know that I'll want to hear all the details as they happen. Since I am encouraging you to madness, after all." Erin let out that throaty laugh that Penelope loved as she nodded, and they fell into an easy conversation as Penelope served the customers that came her way until Erin had to leave.


	4. Chapter 4

The fact that Penelope had not seen Erin in two whole weeks was starting to wear on her nerves, and Harry had even stopped needling her about the fact that she was missing a person who was, at best, a friend. And so, when the woman in question walked into her bar that afternoon, Penelope had to fight to keep a neutral expression on her face. "May I have my usual?"

There was a drawn look on her face, and Penelope hurriedly complied with her request before looking at her carefully. "Care to share what's making you look so sad?" she finally asked quietly, longing to reach out and caress Erin's face, to comfort her beyond what was appropriate for their tenuous friendship. "Erin?"

The woman held up one finger as she knocked back her glass in two long drinks before gesturing for another. Penelope nodded as she complied with the woman, knowing that whatever had happened, it was bad enough to set her off kilter. "Is there somewhere private where we could talk?" she finally gasped out after she had drained the second drink and motioned for another.

Penelope met Harry's eye, and he nodded a little. "Sure, we can head back to my office. Harry will get me if anyone comes in." Erin gave her the smallest of smiles as she slipped off her stool and waited for Penelope. It was so easy for Penelope to slip her arm around the woman's waist and guide her into the small room she had claimed for her office, and she was suddenly glad that she had invested in a sofa for the room as she brought Erin over there, tugging her down onto it. "All right, what has you so sad?"

"Alan and I got into a horrible fight, far worse than any we've ever had before. He, he threatened to sue for full custody of our children, and since he has contacts in the judicial system, he could very well achieve that goal. That was why I stayed away for so long, but I found that I needed at least one friendly face in my life at this moment."

The first tears trembled on Erin's lashes, and then Penelope knew she couldn't keep from comforting the woman in some small way, so she wrapped her arm around Erin's shoulders and drew her close to her chest, her fingers tugging out the pins that held Erin's hair up so that she could comb through it as she sobbed. It was so hard to see such a strong woman cry so brokenly, but there was nothing more she could do except pull her closer to her chest as her hand rubbed up and down her shoulder.

"You know, not many people know this about me, but I am quite the amateur hacker. I could totally take care of your ex-husband and not have to worry about hiding a body."

Erin let out a watery laugh as she shook her head. "That is thoroughly sweet of you to offer, but I couldn't let you do that. In the end, he's not worth any extra trouble that we might want to give him. I'm just so sad over the fact that I might lose access to my babies. I know I haven't been the best mother, that there were so many things that I should have done differently, but I love my babies."

"I don't doubt that you do, Erin," she whispered before resting her chin atop her head, rocking them back and forth a little bit. "Now, you're probably feeling the effects of so much alcohol in such a little time. How about you stretch out here on my sofa and rest for a little bit, and as soon as Derek gets here, we can head out for something to eat, and I can regale you with stories about my youth until you feel better. Because, and Harry will tell you this, I don't like to see my regulars sad."

A sad smile slipped across her face as she nodded and pulled away from Penelope. "I think that I would like to have supper with you, Penelope." Penelope gave her a tiny wink as she dipped her chin. There was another delightful blush that stained Erin's cheeks, and she had to remind herself that she had no idea if Erin fancied women.

"Great. I will be back here in about two hours then, which is the perfect length for a nap. I'll see you shortly." She got to her feet and headed back out into her bar, finding that Harry hadn't moved from his spot, or rather, he had returned to it after serving the few patrons who were scattered around the bar. "Thanks for taking care of them, Harry."

"I figured that it would be better to not disturb you, and there weren't too many people that came in. If it had gotten busy, I would have called."

She nodded as she began to clean the glass that Erin had used for her gin. "Her ex is a real piece of work, you know. And she won't even let me use my skills to humble him."

"Kitten, she is right in this case. You don't want to get put on some government watch list, do you?" She shrugged. "Trust me, you don't. Having to live with someone watching your every move, wondering if you will someday be caught and turned into a government lackey. No, that life is not for you, and you need to keep that in mind. But if you get me the details on him, I could use my contacts to make certain that he won't bother Erin again."

"I might take you up on that offer," she replied as she poured him another beer. "And this one is on the house for helping me out." He nodded and Penelope went back to her work, trying not to check her watch too often, wanting Derek to show up soon. Finally, she heard his voice and a wide smile crossed her lips before she beckoned him to her side. "Hey, Der!"

"Baby Girl, what has you so happy to see me this afternoon?" he asked before dropping a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"It's selfish, but I have a friend resting in my office, and I promised her that we would head out to supper as soon as you were here. Harry's tab for the day has already been settled, but everyone else still needs to cash out. I will see you tomorrow."

"And I do not want any details if things turn into a little more."

"We're just friends right now, Sugar. But you will be the first one to know if and when things get to that next level." She winked broadly before kissing his cheek and heading back to her office. Erin was still sleeping when she entered, so she quietly grabbed her purse out of her desk before tiptoeing over to Erin's side. Crouching down, Penelope reached out and brushed a stray piece of hair out of Erin's face. That gentle touch seemed to be enough to disturb her sleep, and she watched as the woman came to wakefulness. "Hey, Erin," she said softly as her eyes blinked open, and Erin gave her an open smile as she slowly sat up and stretched.

"I take it that Derek is here now?" She nodded. "Well, I suppose that means we can go out to supper now."

Again, Penelope nodded and got to her feet, Erin copying her movements before they made their way out of the office and into the bar. Derek gave her a knowing look, and she shook her head as they headed out the door. "So, is there anywhere in particular that you like?"

"O'Toole's? They have a delicious monte cristo, and I feel in the mood for something a little more decadent than a hamburger." Penelope nodded, knowing then that Erin had slightly fancier tastes than she did and that she would have to try and keep up if she wanted to keep her favor.


	5. Chapter 5

To Penelope's shock, their meal together had gone quite well, and at the end of it, Erin had been the one to ask to exchange numbers. She wasn't expecting the woman to call every night, but the knowledge that she could reach out to her whenever she felt like texting was something that made her heart feel a little more settled. Which was a completely weird frame of mind to be in, given that they hadn't known each other all that long. But still, there was something that was drawing Penelope to Erin, and she couldn't quite but her finger on what that was.

And even though they had talked a few times over text in the following days, it was five days before Penelope saw her darken the doors of Persephone once more. She tried not to appear too eager as the woman came right up to the bar, giving Harry a small nod before taking a seat on her usual stool. "I am so glad that you're here today, Penelope."

"You almost missed me, actually. As soon as Derek gets here, I have to head out to the bank. But if you want to wait around here for about an hour, I can serve you all the gin in the world."

Erin laughed as she shook her head. "I think that I would be dead in the space of an hour if you allowed me to drink that much gin. Though I suppose we could start with the first glass and see where we go from there?"

She nodded as she grabbed the gin that Erin preferred, pouring out a generous measure before topping up Harry's beer. "Watch out for her while I'm at the bank? I have a sinking feeling that her ex has been an ass recently, which has kept her away from us."

"Of course, Kitten." They shared a knowing smile before Penelope drifted back down to Erin's side, resting her chin on her hands as she looked at Erin.

"So, I am going to go out on a limb and assume that Alan was a right prick at some point in this last week, which is why you didn't show up here, even though we talked quite a bit about nothing via text messages." Erin blushed a little as she nodded. "Is there anything I can do to make it better for you?"

"No, because he is the cross that I have to bear," Erin replied as she brought her glass to her lips. "But I do have some good news to share. David and I are making headway towards a relationship that is less fraught then when he first came back. And he is so very handsome."

Penelope tried to ignore the flash of jealousy that flared up in her chest, and she swallowed thickly before nodding a little. "That he is. So, if you do end up dating him, do you think that you could bring him here so that I could meet him? I've never been this closely related to a famous person before." She knew that she was teasing Erin in order to move past the bitterness that was trying to sprout up in her chest, and she hoped that the woman wouldn't pick up on the tone she was trying to hide. There was a faint look of understanding on her face before Erin nodded a little.

"I can bring him by, yes. I think that he would like to meet my friend." There was a slight pause before she said the word friend, and Penelope wondered why there was that small break. She didn't want to ask though, since she didn't want to rock that particular boat just yet. "I don't know if you'll like him, though. He really does have a brash personality, and it's taken me years to grow accustomed to him."

"Can I tell you something?" she asked as she leaned in conspiratorially. Erin nodded. "I think I picked up on his personality through his writing. The way he talks about himself, and Jason Gideon, and Max Ryan, well, it just seems like they all have strong personalities that take a while to get accustomed to. How did you deal with that cantankerous trio back in the day?"

Erin let out a sharp bark of laughter as she shook her head. "That is the perfect description for them, Penelope, though I don't think that David would appreciate it. And it was something I didn't have to worry about all that much, since I wasn't in charge of the BAU back then. I was just like them, eager to cut my teeth on the cases that would change the world when solved. I didn't realize, then, that I was better at the behind the scenes work. Thankfully, the man who had my position before I did saw how good I was with organization and leading and playing politics, though I don't particularly care for that aspect of my job, and he suggested me for promotion when he was also moved up the chain of command. Though I had to be a bit cutthroat in my first official act, and I regret that still to this day."

"Care to share?"

The woman licked her lips nervously before she shook her head. "Not right now. We need to be friends for a little while longer before I open up about that particular experience. However, I have the feeling that you will hear that story from my life sooner rather than later."

Penelope nodded as she reached out with one hand and patted Erin's shoulder softly. "I will wait for that day, then. So, how about I tell you a painful story from my past, to build the trust between us." Erin gave her a tiny smile before reaching up to cover the hand on her shoulder, squeezing it twice before letting go. "All right, so, I've told you that I'm a bit of a hacker. What you probably don't know is that I would probably be on one of those lists that you keep at the FBI, had I allowed myself to take it further than I did. I almost got caught a few times, and it wasn't until my parents died in a car crash that I realized I had to make a change in my life. And that's how this became my fulltime job. I only do light hacking now, and usually only when it's someone being creepy with my patrons."

"I am going to pretend that I didn't hear any of those last words, Penelope. Because I do think that you are skirting the boundaries of what is appropriate."

She let out a little laugh as she nodded. "Sorry for putting you in a bad spot, but honesty is the best policy, yes?" Erin gave her a smile before she nodded. "Now you know something about me. Would you like any dirt on Aaron? Haley's told me some pretty interesting things."

Erin let out a full laugh as she shook her head. "You are incorrigible! And much though I would love to hear the stories you might have to tell, I can't in good conscience ask you to tell me any of them. It wouldn't be fair or right. But you could tell me how Jack is doing? I remember that Aaron had to take a little time off work when he was born, due to his precarious health." Penelope nodded as she pulled out her phone and called up a recent picture of Jack, launching into the latest funny story Haley had told her about her son.


	6. Chapter 6

Penelope groaned as she heard her phone ring. She had just gotten to sleep after pulling another double, and didn't relish the thought of being called back to deal with a problem that Ashley was having. While she liked the girl, she was still a bit young, and the slightest hiccup in her routine usually had her calling either Penelope or Derek for help, even though it was usually something small. Not bothering to look at the display, she answered a little curtly. "What do you need now, Ashley?"

"It, it's not Ashley, Penelope."

She sat up in bed with a start, the sound of Erin's distraught voice instantly waking her up. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I, I haven't been able to get ahold of Haley, and you were the first person I thought of who might be able to help me. There was a case in New York, and Aaron's team was sent there to handle it. I know, they've separated because of the work Aaron does, but she has to know that he's, he's…"

"Erin, listen to my voice. Everything will work out as it should." She got out of bed and padded over to the door of her apartment, shoving her feet into a pair of flats as she contorted her arms into her coat without putting down the phone. "Now, I'm coming over, and we're going to talk about this. But I'm not going to let you hang up until I'm in your driveway, okay?"

"Okay," came her shaky whisper, and Penelope quietly let out a long breath as she grabbed her purse and keys, heading out the door. "He's not dead, that much I know."

"Well, that's a good place to start when we reach Haley. So, why were they in New York? Was it a bad case?"

"All the cases we're called in to handle are bad, Penny. This one was just odd, as well. There didn't seem to be any correlation between the murders, but when the same weapon was used in three separate cases across the boroughs on the city, well, it was a little too suspicious to not check out. The Red Cell team might have been better to send, in this case, but they were already away in Washington. There are just some cases that you get a hinky feeling about, and this was one of them from the start."

Penelope replied sympathetically, probing for more information as she made her way down to the car. By the time that she had reached Erin's home, the woman was mostly calmed down, and then she was pulling into the drive and parking in front of the garage. As she turned her car off, she noticed from the corner of her eye that the front door was opening. Getting out of her car, she scurried over to the opening and wrapped Erin in a tight hug. That seemed to be all Erin needed to start truly sobbing once more, and she smoothed her hand up and down Erin's back as she guided her back inside, closing the door behind them before pulling away from the woman a little. "I've never been here, so, how about you lead me to the living room?"

Erin nodded a little as she stepped away from Penelope, taking hold of her hand and pulling her deeper into the house. She tried not to snoop as they went, but she couldn't help but take in the pictures of her family on the walls, the muted colors that told her Erin was a traditionalist, liking elegance and refinement. That seemed to fit with everything she knew about the woman so far, and she sighed a little as they stopped in front of the sofa. "Do, do you want anything to drink?"

"I don't think that would be wise this late at night, sweetheart," she replied as they sank down onto the sofa. Reaching out, she took hold of Erin's hand and threaded their fingers together as she looked into Erin's eyes. "Now, what has you so upset?"

"I can't get ahold of Haley because Aaron has been involved in an explosion in New York City, and she needed to know, because even though they've separated, Jack should still be aware that his Daddy was injured, and so he might look a little different for the next few weeks. I'm not certain of the extent of his injuries, but it's enough to worry me."

Penelope nodded as she squeezed Erin's hand softly. "All right, let me see if I can work some magic here." Using her free hand, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she had reached Jessica's number, knowing that Haley was living with her at the moment. She pressed the number and brought the phone to her ear, hoping that Jessica would answer.

"Penelope? Do you know what time it is? Are you the same person that's been calling Haley?"

She took a deep breath as she tried to give back the anger she was receiving. "I'm not the one who was calling, that was Erin Strauss, Aaron's boss? He was in a work-related accident this evening, and she wanted to get ahold of Haley to tell her what was going on. And before you say that they're separated, she knows, but she was thinking about Jackers, and how he might react to seeing his daddy injured."

"Oh my god, is it serious?"

Penelope glanced over at Erin, seeing that she was twisting her shirt between her fingers as she stared at her anxiously. "Erin didn't know all the details, because the case is still ongoing, but I have the feeling that you should probably have Haley call him or David Rossi. I think that she has his number. And once everything is settled, make certain you call me and give me an update. All right?"

"All right. Thanks for letting me know."

They said their goodbyes and then she was turning her attention back to Erin. "Jessica will inform Haley, and then she'll call one of us with further updates. Now, it looks like you're still wearing your work clothes. How about I make you a cup of hot tea and bring it up to your room, and you can get changed while I do that?"

Erin gave her a small nod as she got to her feet. "Thank you. I just didn't know who else to turn to, Penelope. I know, it's probably so unprofessional of me to reach out to my favourite bartender, but you've been a truly lovely friend to me these last few months." She pursed her lips together, and Penelope knew that she was trying to hold herself together in that moment. Reaching out, she clasped Erin's hand softly before also rising to her feet. "My bedroom is the first door on the left upstairs."

"Okay, I'll see you in about ten minutes." Erin gave her a shaky smile as she let go of Penelope's hand and drifted over to the doorway. Penelope waited until she heard her climbing the stairs before she started to explore the downstairs, trying not to disturb the woman's privacy too much as she searched for the kitchen. The first thing she did was turn the kettle on, knowing that she could look for mugs and tea while that began to boil. Like she figured, it did take about ten minutes for the water to boil and the tea to steep, and then she was bringing the mug up to Erin's room, finding her already in bed, reading a book. "Here we are! I'll just get out of your hair now…"

"Stay the night, Penelope. I don't feel comfortable with you driving so late, and I know that I interrupted your sleep. The guest room is across the hall, and I'll fix breakfast for you before heading in to the office. And I know that I will be stopping at Persephone before I head home tomorrow night, too."

It was a sweet offer, and she knew that it had taken a lot for Erin to even offer, so she gave a small nod and smile before reaching out and patting Erin's hand gently. "I look forward to breakfast then, Erin. I'll see you later this morning." And before Erin could say anything more, Penelope was heading from the bedroom, closing the door behind her as she wondered what sort of tangled quagmire she was quickly finding herself in.


	7. Chapter 7

Penelope woke up the next morning feeling tired, and she sat up with a groan, rubbing her eyes roughly as she stretched a little. "Are you decent?" came Erin's voice from beyond the door, and she had to blink a few times, thinking back to the phone calls she had received and made earlier. "Penelope?"

"Yeah, I just woke up, Erin," she replied, watching the door slowly open. The woman was already impeccably dressed and made up, her hair in an elegant chignon, and Penelope sighed a little as she imagined what she must look like. "How is it that you look like you had a decent amount of sleep, and I probably look like a schlub?"

"The wonders of a cool shower and a lot of makeup, Penelope. I just wanted to let you know that I have breakfast ready downstairs for us. I have to leave in about twenty minutes, but I don't want to rush you out of my home. This is placing an enormous amount of trust in you, but I'm going to let you have the spare copy of my house key, so that if you're not finished eating when I have to go, you can lock up. I'll get the key back this afternoon when I see you at Persephone?"

She nodded a few times, blinking owlishly as she slipped her glasses into place. "Of course, that would be fine. I, I'm really honored that you would trust me like this, Erin."

"Well, I have poured my heart out to you over the past few weeks, it makes sense that I could extend that trust to you in a more private sphere as well. After all, you were so kind to answer my call, and come comfort me." For just a moment, there was a softness to Erin's expression, and she wondered what had caused that momentary drop in her control. "Well, we should get downstairs before the food gets cold."

Penelope nodded as she slipped out of bed and traipsed after Erin, finding herself still trying to fully wake up. The scent of food grew stronger as they made their to the kitchen, and her stomach growled loudly, causing Erin to let out a little giggle before they took a seat at the table. "This must have taken you forever, Erin!" she exclaimed as she looked at the stack of pancakes in the middle of the table. "And is that lemon that I smell?"

"Yes. I couldn't stay asleep, so after I'd showered and gotten ready for the day, I whipped up a batch of blueberry lemon lavender pancakes with a fresh vanilla syrup to use instead of maple syrup. I'm able to think more clearly when I'm doing something with my hands, and it's a little too early to start drinking. Someone might accuse me of not being able to control my vice."

There was a little bitterness to Erin's voice that Penelope filed away to ask about later, not wanting to open that can of worms before Erin had to go to work and find out what had happened to Hotch, so she just nodded as she served herself, pouring a thick layer of the syrup over her stack as she watched Erin copy her movements. The first bite was so delicious that she couldn't hold in her moan of pleasure, and a wicked smirk flitted across Erin's face as she nodded. "Holy frak, Erin! I know that you have to be exhausted, but these are divine!"

"I like cooking, when I have time."

"If you're this good with pancakes, I can't imagine what else is up your sleeve."

"Maybe I'll have the opportunity to show you." Their eyes met, and Penelope gave her a soft smile before continuing to eat. She found that she wanted to savor the experience, so she wasn't surprised when the woman finished before she did. "All right, I'm heading out now. See you in a few hours."

Penelope looked up at her and nodded, thinking for a moment that the woman was going to lean in and kiss her cheek for a moment. That feeling soon passed, and she watched Erin head out to the garage before listening to the door open and a car back out. Once Erin was gone, Penelope found herself eating a little more quickly, not wanting to be in the house any longer than necessary.

She was just finishing up her pancakes when she heard a different car pull into the drive, and she frowned as she rose to her feet, carrying their plates over to the sink as she glanced out the window. There was an unfamiliar car next to hers, and her frown deepened as the person inside the vehicle continued to sit there, staring at the house. Shivering a little, she moved away from the window and put the remaining syrup in the fridge before filling the sink with water and slowly washing the dishes, her eyes never leaving the car or the vague shape of the man inside.

Penelope put away the last plate as the phone began to ring, and she shivered once more, her sense of unease growing as the ringing went on and on. Finally, she knew that she couldn't just let things continue to escalate, and she grabbed the spare key off the table, slipping it into her bra as she made her way upstairs, locking herself in the guest bedroom and then shutting herself away in the closet as she pulled out her cellphone and hurriedly dialed Erin's number.

"Penelope? What's wrong? I didn't forget the key, did I?"

She breathed out heavily at the sound of Erin's voice, shaking her head a little. "No, I have the key in my bra right now, since my skirt doesn't have any pockets, but something weird is going on here. About ten minutes after you left, a car I didn't recognize pulled into the drive and is still sitting there, staring at the house. I shut myself away in the guest bedroom, just in case. I just don't feel comfortable leaving while he's here, but I didn't want to call 911, just in case you were expecting a landscaper or something."

"I, I do that myself, Penelope. Is it a silver Buick?"

"Yeah. How did you…?"

"That fucking bastard! I knew that he was following me, I just didn't realise how much. I will call the police, and have them ask him to leave. Will you be late to work because of this?"

"No, I'll just call Derek and have him swap shifts with me. I'll still get to see you, so don't worry about that. I'm just sorry that you have to deal with…" Her voice trailed off as she listened to someone start to pound on the door. "Actually, I'll be calling the police. Please, tell me that you don't have a key hidden outside."

"No, I made certain that I took care of that after we separated. I wish that I could stay on the line with you, but we need to hang up so that we can both call the police. After all, they need to know that you have permission to be in the house as my guest."

"All right. I am so sorry that this is happening, Erin. You don't deserve this."

"Neither do you. And once I'm at Persephone, I am buying you a drink, if you'll allow that. Because we both deserve some of that delicious gin tonight."

"I will take you up on that. See you soon." They ended the call, and then Penelope dialed 911, not certain what she would say, but knowing that she had to get rid of Erin's ex before he broke into the house and found her, causing more trouble for Erin than she wanted.


	8. Chapter 8

Penelope didn't truly relax until Erin walked in the door that evening, making her way straight over to Penelope as she shrugged out of her suit coat and slung it over the bar stool before collapsing down on it and staring into Penelope's eyes. "So, that was fun to explain to the gawkers. Though David didn't seem to be too happy with my ex-husband."

She nodded as she poured them each a glass of the Rock Rose, and clinked glasses with Erin before taking a sip. "The officer that came to the house was very nice to me, and the statement didn't take too long to give. I'm just glad that he didn't damage your house. I would have paid for repairs if he had, though, since it's kind of my fault that he went psycho on you."

"It is not your fault, Penelope Garcia. He's a dick, and I should have seen it earlier before things got to this point. I'll have to have you over for a proper meal to make up for this."

Penelope gave Erin a soft smile as she nodded, taking another sip of her gin before going down and getting Harry a fresh beer. Gideon was cleaning tables, and he gave her a knowing smile as he glanced over at Erin, and she blushed a little as she dipped her chin into her chest before making her way back to Erin's side. "I think that I will take you up on that offer, Erin. We'll just have to sync up our calendars to make certain that we're both free."

"Of course." Erin smiled sweetly at her as she pulled out a small paper calendar, and Penelope couldn't stop the slightly askance look she gave the woman. "I know, it's a little old school, but I put my very important events in both the hard copy and on my phone, just in case I misplace my phone or something happens and I lose everything."

"That does make sense, and you are a very practical woman." Penelope reached out and patted Erin's hand lightly before topping off their drinks. "All right, let me grab my planner, and I'll be right back." Erin nodded as she began to rummage through her purse once more, and Penelope hurried back into her office and grabbed her planner off the desk and then rejoined Erin. "It looks like the next month is quite full already, but we could perhaps make this Saturday work, since I have the early shift here, and then am off Sunday. That way, I don't have to worry about talking too late into the night, as I'm wont to do."

Erin chuckled a little before opening her planner. The smile died from her lips, and Penelope knew that Saturday wasn't going to work. She tried to not let out a little sigh of disappointment as Erin shook her head. "That's no good. My youngest has her violin recital that evening, and who knows when I'll be back from that. We're not close enough friends to invite you to something like that yet, I'm sorry."

"Erin, that's fine. I completely understand! You need to get to know the warts in my past, and I need to know the warts in yours, and then we can start meeting each other's families. Well, I'll get to meet yours, my stepbrothers don't talk to me much since I inherited the bar. They thought that it should be theirs, even though they have no blood in the game, so to speak."

She nodded as she flipped to the next month. "Well, I do have the third Saturday free next month, would that be better?" Penelope flipped her planner to the next month and then looked at the date in question. This time, she made certain to let a wide smile spread across her face as she nodded. "Perfect. I'll write you in with pen, so that nothing can change our dinner plans." Erin pulled out a pen and went to write, only to pause and look up at Penelope. "I'll see you at my place at six?"

"That works perfect for me." Erin gave a tight nod before writing that in, and Penelope copied her move, and then they were looking at each other. "So, was your ex-husband always such a gigantic jackass?"

"No. I would never have married him had I known that he had anger issues. But we were young and in love, and he allowed me to be ambitious in my job. He said it would be good for our children to know that their mother went for the jugular and didn't take shit from anyone." Penelope was a little troubled by the tone in Erin's voice, and she nodded absently as she watched the woman sip at her gin. "But sometimes, all a woman wants is someone to listen to them and allow her to be soft and gentle. I think that there are parts of myself that I lost along the way."

"Well, you're no longer tied to him, so you can find those pieces once more and weave them back into your current self. It might be hard, but the things worth doing are never easy, it seems." Penelope gave her what she hoped was a cheeky wink before leaning in and whispering, "And this also means that you can go after that Rossi guy with no guilt. Okay? Live for yourself for once, and find your happiness. You deserve to live a little after the way he's treated you."

Penelope felt her smile waver just a little as she said those words, knowing that she was actively encouraging Erin to seek out someone that wasn't her, and she found that she couldn't stop the little sigh that slipped from her lips, though she hoped that Erin hadn't noticed. "I suppose that I am free enough to see if we could make a relationship work. And really, now that we're both past our youthful arrogance stage of life, maybe we can make something work."

"I hope so, because you deserve to be happy." Reaching out, she squeezed Erin's hand before finishing off her glass of gin. "Now, how is Aaron doing? Haley mentioned something about him seeming tense the last time he picked Jackers up for visitation."

Erin frowned a little as she stared down into her glass. "The team has been under a lot of pressure lately, and Aaron is finding himself bearing the brunt of that. I wish that there was a way to help ease that burden, but because I've had to be the heavy in so many situations, there's no trust for me, and he wouldn't believe that my offer was genuine."

"That's so tragic! You've just been doing your job. Someone has to make the tough decisions that no one likes, especially with the job you do. I can't begin to imagine the strain that must put you under."

"I've gotten used to it, I just wish that I was a little less feared and derided. I know that they talk about me behind my back, but as long as I'm trying to keep them all alive, I'll continue to be the heavy." Penelope nodded as she refilled Erin's glass. "Now, I should probably let you get to work, there are others here that need your attention."

"I suppose. I'll be back after I've served them." Erin gave her a smile and a nod before picking up her glass to sip at the gin, and Penelope smiled back, trying not to feel like her heart was oddly cracking at the things she had learned about Erin that afternoon.


	9. Chapter 9

Penelope hadn't seen Erin in a week, and she wondered what was keeping her away from Persephone. At least she was still answering her texts, though, and Penelope had to be content with that, even if she missed her face. The weekend was long and she found herself mooning over the woman as she watched romantic movie after romantic movie. And now she was setting up her bar in order to open for the day, making certain that everything was in order. A soft knocking on the front door told her that it was time to open, and she looked up to see Harry standing there, a bemused grin on his face.

Wiping her hands on the apron around her waist, Penelope brought the keys over to the door, unlocking it for him before letting out a little gasp. Erin was right behind Harry, and she brushed past Penelope to scurry over to her barstool, taking a seat and resting her chin on her hand. There was something so lost about the way that she looked that Penelope knew something horrible had happened to her in the week since she had seen her last.

"What happened, Erin?" she asked as she poured a gin for her, a beer for Harry. He grabbed hold of the glass and went down to his favored stool, sipping at it as he tried to at least act like he wasn't listening in on their conversation.

"Keep the gin coming, please." Erin reached out and took hold of Penelope's hand, squeezing it tightly. "I am going to have to be quite drunk for this story to come out in its entirety." She nodded, watching Erin pick up her glass and knock it back in one smooth motion before tapping the glass lightly on the bar. Penelope nodded once more before filling the glass and watching as Erin sipped at the gin this time, her eyes filling with tears. "I am thoroughly pathetic, Penelope."

"No! Why would you say that?"

"I slept with David."

She knew from the way that Erin bit those words out that nothing good had happened there, and she frowned as she grabbed her own glass, filling it with gin before taking a sip and letting out a long breath. "Did he force you to do something that you didn't want to do?"

Erin shook her head with enough force to knock loose some of the pins holding it up, loose curls starting to frame her face as she took another sip of her drink. "No, it was some of the best sex I've ever had in my life. He was attentive to my needs, he made certain that I got off before he did, and it just felt so right." Another sip of gin slid down her throat as Penelope watched, and she copied her almost unconsciously. "We rented a hotel room for the night, since neither of us wanted to use our homes for our first liaison. That should have been my first red flag, but I ignored it. Because I wanted to believe that I was worth feeling beautiful for one evening."

Before she could stop herself, Penelope reached up and caressed Erin's face lightly before cupping her chin and staring into her eyes, watching the first few tears roll down her cheeks. "I wish that I could go back in time and tell your younger self how gorgeous you will be when you reach this age. That you'll never need someone to validate your self-worth because you would know what it is from the get go."

"Thank you." Erin rubbed her hand against her eye before blinking a little. "So, we had sex. A lot of it. And it was all so good. But I woke up before him, and decided that it would be nice if I went and got us breakfast before maybe having one more go at things. I should have gotten something from the free breakfast nook in the lobby, but you know how that food looks, even though it's free. Instead, I headed to a nearby café and bought something more appetizing to me. By the time I returned to our room, he was gone."

"That bastard!"

"Oh, it gets better, Penelope. He left me a six word note on his pillow, telling me that it was time that he moved on. I came here straight from there." The tenuous grip on her tears was lost with those words, and Penelope felt herself well up in sympathy. Erin quickly swallowed the last of her gin before looking into the empty glass in her hand, giving Penelope a crooked, shaky, grin. "It, it looks like I'm out of gin."

"So it does. And you know, I wish that I was your type. I wish that I was rakish and charming and suave, everything that this Rossi is. But I'm not. I'm just me. Someone who has come to care for you quite deeply in the months that you've visited me here in the bar, and the times I've been to your home. You've helped to fill the loneliness in my life."

Erin reached up to grab her hand, threading their fingers together as she squeezed tightly, keeping Penelope's gaze as she licked her lips. "I know that we've both been lonely, Penelope. That's what's kept me coming back here to you, because you filled that spot in my heart. I know, the bar has just opened up for the day. I know that I'm being thoroughly selfish. But if you truly think I'm gorgeous, if you truly want to help fill the loneliness that's in both our hearts, well, I'm going nowhere fast, and anywhere is a better place to be."

"Harry, I need you to hold down the fort until Ashley gets in for her shift. It will probably be a slow morning, Monday usually is, but if you have any questions, call Derek. And if you don't feel comfortable staying open, close the bar until Ashley gets here?"

"I've got you covered, Penny. I've been watching over this bar since it belonged to your daddy, there's no way that I would let him down now, not when you have someone more important to take care of." She gave him a grateful smile as she grabbed her purse from beneath the bar and came around to Erin's side, taking hold of her hand once more.

"Let's head to my place," she murmured as she led Erin out to the parking lot. "Did you drive here today?"

"No, I took a cab, because I knew that I would be drinking. A lot." Penelope nodded in relief as she led the woman over to her car, watching her climb into the passenger seat before buckling her belt. She knew that the small amount of gin that she had consumed shouldn't affect her driving, it wasn't enough to get her drunk, but she still knew that she had to drive carefully. Penelope took a deep breath before slipping behind the wheel and pulling out of her spot. The drive to her place was quiet, and she kept glancing over at Erin to make certain that she was all right, not wanting her to feel like Penelope was ignoring her. Taking note of the woman trembling, Penelope slipped her right hand off the wheel and grabbed hold of her hand, not letting go until she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex and they were climbing from the car. "When we get up to your apartment, all I want to do is have you hold me."

"I can do that for you," she whispered as she took hold of Erin's hand once more and led her to the building, hoping that this was truly a better place for her Erin to be.


	10. Chapter 10

Penelope watched Erin drift over to the sofa and collapse onto it as she hung their purses on hooks by the door. "You're free to find the bedroom, Erin. My house is your house, after all."

"I don't want to sleep, Penelope. I feel like if I sleep, I'll have nightmares." The woman didn't look in her direction, and Penelope understood in that moment just how hurt she was by what David had done to her. And she would feel the same way, if anyone had been so awful to her. "My heart hurts, so badly. Do you have any gin here that I could drink?"

"No, but I do have some wine. Red or white?"

"Red."

She nodded and went into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of shiraz off the counter, along with two glasses and her corkscrew. A part of her knew that it probably wasn't the best idea for Erin to be drinking so much, but she also didn't want her to feel like she was being judged. So she let out a little sigh and returned to the living room, taking a seat next to Erin and handing her the glasses before opening the bottle. "This is a pretty good year, so I hope that you like it."

"Shiraz is one of my favorite reds, so this will be fine." They shared a small smile as she poured the wine into the glasses Erin held out, filling them as full as she dared before setting the bottle aside and grabbing a glass from Erin's hand. "I know, I shouldn't be drinking this much, that I'm already halfway to regretting this, but I need something to numb this pain."

"I get it, don't worry. I won't judge you here. But I will probably cut you off at some point, and feed you, and maybe hug you." Erin gave her a small nod before burrowing back into the sofa and taking a long drink from her glass. "Now, do you have a preference in movies?"

"No."

"Okay, good." Penelope took a quick sip from her glass before turning on her television and surfing through the channels until she happened upon _Rear Window_. Settling back in her seat, she turned the volume up a little before setting the remote aside and fixing her attention on the screen. At some point during the movie, Erin scooted closer to her until she was resting her head on Penelope's shoulder, and the heavy weight was welcome. Without hesitation, Penelope started to drag her fingers through the older woman's hair, wanting to comfort her in any way that she could at the time.

Soon, though, Erin's head was coming to rest on the swell of Penelope's breasts, and it was all she could do to ignore the warm feeling of desire that began to course through her system, knowing that this wasn't the time for that sort of thing. Still, it felt nice to have the woman nuzzle her cheek against her flesh, and she slipped her hand down to cup Erin's shoulder, squeezing gently as she let out a soft sigh. "I feel so stupid, still, Penelope."

"You shouldn't, Erin. You assumed that he would treat you kindly, and not like you were disposable. Because you are not disposable. You are someone who deserves to be cherished." Penelope felt herself start to tear up once more and she bundled Erin closer to her chest as the credits finished rolling across the screen. "I just want you to know that there are people out there who will love you for who you are, and it won't be them just scratching a random itch."

"I don't know if I'll ever find myself vulnerable enough to allow that to happen, honestly. But if I ever thought that it could be, I would want it to be with someone like you. Because I think that you are the only person who has truly seen me in the last year. You've looked beyond my façade to see who I am inside. I'm going to kiss you now, even though I know that it is probably a horrible decision. I'm too drunk to be thinking all that clearly, but I am still going to do this."

Before Penelope could say anything in response, Erin was leaning in and kissing her softly, threading her fingers into her hair and holding her close as she deepened the kiss, pressing her back into the sofa. There was something so sweet about her lips, and she groaned a little before coming to her senses and gently pushing Erin away. "You're right, you are in no position to make decisions, Erin, and I won't take advantage of you. If we were to fall into bed right now, because we both know that that's where this is leading, we wouldn't respect each other afterwards. I really hate having moral fiber right now, though, because I would love to let you take me to bed and lose myself in your lips."

"All right, compromise?" Penelope looked into her eyes and saw that a tiny bit of sobriety was returning to her gaze, freeing her enough to nod. "My second wish is to finally sleep. I think that I could be safe to do so in your arms, if you wouldn't mind. It wouldn't take long for me to slip out of my bra after all."

"Just let me grab my tablet, and then I'll take you into the bedroom. I'm not tired, but I would love to have you curl up on me." Erin gave her a small nod before getting up, weaving on her feet a little. "All right, if you want to head to the bathroom, it's that door on the left. I'll put the wine away while you take care of your needs."

"Already you know me well," the older woman murmured as she followed Penelope's directions. Once she was in the bathroom, Penelope got to her feet and recorked the bottle before bringing it to the kitchen and then picking up her tablet from where it was charging. "All right, I'm ready," Erin murmured lightly a few seconds later, and Penelope gave her a small nod as she took hold of her hand and led her into the bedroom.

"I usually sleep on the left-hand side of the bed, I hope you don't mind."

"That's fine," Erin quickly replied, a slur in her words that Penelope wasn't certain was due to the alcohol or exhaustion. Nodding a little, she pulled back the covers and slipped beneath them, setting her tablet on her stomach and calling up the Kindle app, quickly jumping into her book where she had left off. Erin was quick to join her, and the feeling of her body so close to Penelope made her heart flutter strangely in her chest, and she had to resist the urge to scoot closer to her, instead allowing Erin to choose how much space that she wanted between them. "What are you reading?"

"I'm rereading the _Song of Ice and Fire_ series in perpetual hope that Martin will release _Winds of Winter_ before the decade closes. I don't think that will happen, but hope has to spring eternal. Right?"

Erin nodded a little before letting her head come to rest against her shoulder. "I haven't read those books yet. Though I tend to prefer mysteries myself. I think that I'm going to do a reread of the Poirot books soon."

"Mom used to love watching those on PBS!" Erin chuckled as she turned onto her side, letting her arm snake around Penelope's torso, the heavy weight welcome as silence fell over the room and she lost herself in the words written on the screen. And if the whole world disappeared in the next few moments, Penelope knew that being here, like this, with Erin was her better place to be.


	11. Chapter 11

Penelope woke up some time later, her tablet facedown on her chest, Erin plastered to her side, snoring softly. A pleased smile spread across her face as she set the tablet aside and turned a little so that she could watch Erin as she slept on. There was something so trusting about the way that the older woman had curled up against her, her knees drawn up tight to her chest as she held Penelope tightly. Somehow, the distance between them had seemed to disappear during her time asleep, and she let out a happy little sigh as she tried to shift completely onto her side without waking Erin.

That didn't seem to be happening, as Erin began to stir, her arm tightening for a moment before she let out a little groan. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked, her voice croaky and low. The sound of it caused Penelope to shiver a little in response.

"Let me check," she said as she took a deep breath and grabbed her tablet once, lightly pressing the home button to light up the screen. "It's about quarter after three. We slept for a good four hours. You're probably just as hungry as I am, since we slept through lunch, do you want to order something delivered? I really don't feel like cooking, to be honest."

"I could go for some Chinese food."

Penelope smiled and nodded as she began to tap on her tablet, calling up her browser and typing out the address for her favorite Chinese food place. "All right, look at the menu and tell me what you want while I call them and put my order in." Erin nodded as she took the tablet, scrolling through as Penelope slipped out of the bed and padded over to her purse, pulling out her phone and coming back to Erin's side to plop down on the mattress once more. It didn't take long to get the restaurant on the phone, and she rattled off her usual order before looking to the woman and giving her a questioning look. Erin nodded and pointed to what she wanted. Penelope added that to the order before telling the man to charge it to the card on file. "Thank you!" Hanging up, she smiled at Erin before setting the phone aside and taking the tablet from her hands, placing it on the nightstand as well. "The food will be here in about thirty minutes. If you want to brush your teeth to get out the yucky alcohol breath, I have a fresh brush in the medicine cabinet in my bathroom. I'm going to clean up a little and then set the table."

Erin nodded before leaning over and kissing Penelope's cheek. "Thank you for completely rearranging your day to take care of me," she said quietly before climbing out of bed and making her way into the bathroom, closing the door firmly. Penelope smiled a little before getting out of bed herself and going into the living room, picking up the wine bottle and glasses, bringing them into the kitchen and setting the glasses in the sink before replacing the cork in the bottle, knowing she'd finish it off in the next few days.

Just as she was starting to get out plates and chopsticks for them, she felt Erin come up behind her and an easy smile curved up her lips. "So, I was thinking that we could have green tea to go along with our food. If you want to rummage around in the cabinet next to the sink, you'll find a tin of it on the bottom shelf."

"All right." The quiet tone was back in Erin's voice, and Penelope found her smile turning into a little frown as she set the table for them. Turning to watch Erin, she saw that she was carefully measuring out the correct amount of tea for an entire pot, and that her hands were shaking a little.

"What's wrong?" she finally asked, unable to bear seeing the woman suffer in silence any longer.

"David texted me while we were sleeping. It was a vulgar, crass, comment and he intimated that he wanted to hook up again in a few weekends, when he could get away from any current cases he might be out on with Aaron."

"Block his number. You don't need to see that crap. After the way he left you this morning? Fuck that, he doesn't even deserve to lick the heel of your shoe after you've walked through a muddy field. Ugh, I swear men suck so badly sometimes."

She had lost herself in her little rant, and so was startled to hear Erin let out a watery giggle that quickly grew into a long, hearty, laugh. Looking askance at her, she waited for the woman to get control of her fit, knowing that she'd explain soon enough. "The look of fury on your face, combined with that image, oh, Penny, you just bring happiness to my rainy mood. Thank you. I am so glad that I walked into your bar all those weeks ago, because this is perhaps the best relationship I've ever gained as a result of a simple choice."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, feeling herself relax as she nodded, drifting over to Erin's side as she turned on the burner under the kettle. "Well, I'm glad that I can make you laugh after how he treated you. And I am completely serious, block him. And I can put a word in Haley's ear, and she can put a bug in Hotch's ear, and that should take care of any further problem. If you want me to."

"I think we'll wait and see how work goes tomorrow before we resort to something that drastic. Though it just speaks to your heart that you would be willing to do that for me."

"You're kind of worth all the trouble in the world, Erin Strauss. Even if Haley has told me stories about what a hardass you are at work." Erin shrugged a little as she grabbed two mugs out of the cupboard and set them on the counter.

"There are so few times when I am allowed to be my true self in the workplace. I wish that it could be different, I truly do, but I fear that I've been stuck in a rut for too long. Though Aaron has commented that I appear to be softening a little, ever since I found my new friend."

The shy smile on Erin's lips caused Penelope's heart to hurtle for a few beats, and she nodded slowly as she let out a long breath. "I'm so glad that I get to be the catalyst of change for you, if that's what you want. I don't want you to feel like you have to change, you know. That's not fair for any person to ask of a…friend."

Erin tucked her chin into her chest, turning away from her a little to stare at the stove before she spoke once more. "I think that my heart was ready for a change from the moment I stepped into your bar. It just took the very kind listening ear of the proprietor to bring about the start of that change. And there might be the hope of something sweeter in my future. Once I've moved past this current stumbling block. Or is that a signal that I've read wrong?"

"No, Erin, you have very much read the signals correctly. I just want to go into something clear headed, which both of us are not today. Though I suppose that we could schedule a first date for sometime next week, and see where things go from there?"

"I would like that very much, Penelope. After we've finished eating, we can find a time that will work for us both, all right?" Penelope nodded and leaned in to steal a quick kiss, knowing that wherever this led, they would be in a better place soon enough.


	12. Chapter 12

Penelope was wiping dry a beer stein when Erin came into the bar two days before their first date. There was a dark look on her face, and Penelope felt herself frown in response as she set aside the towel and stein, folding her hands on the bar as she waited for Erin to reach her side and take her usual seat. "Before you ask, I'll need gin, please. And no, this will not affect Saturday night, I promise."

She nodded and grabbed Erin's favorite gin, pouring out a double measure before sliding the glass over to her side. While she had been expecting the woman to drain it in one swallow, instead Erin took a delicate sip before swirling the liquid around in her glass and staring into it. "What's wrong, then?"

"David made a salacious comment to Aaron which made its way to the Director's ears, and I've been suspended without pay for two weeks. And I'm the topic of the office rumor mill, which is not someplace that I expected to be at fifty. I am trying very hard to remain calm, Penelope, and not get drunk, because you're correct, that is not the right choice right now. But I also, desperately, want to hurt him the way he hurt me, which I also know is not a healthy reaction to have. So I've come to my friend in hopes that she'll listen to me and help me focus on the good things in my life."

"I can definitely do that for you, Erin. I'm just sorry that I can't punch the rat bastard on the nose. Especially since I know that that might get you in more trouble at work. So I will play nice and listen to my dear friend, and help her think about all the spots of wonderful and whimsy in her life."

The smile that spread across Erin's lips took her breath away, and Penelope found herself returning the expression as she rested her chin in her hand. "You make me sound beautiful, Penelope."

"Because you are. And you deserve to be reminded of that fact day after day. And if we decide that this is something worth pursuing, though I believe that it is, I am going to remind you of that little fact in a myriad of ways." Erin blushed a little as she nodded, taking another sip of her gin. "So, I made us reservations at that new French restaurant, did I tell you?"

Erin shook her head. "No, but I like French cuisine."

"I thought that you might, you seem to have delicious taste, after all." Erin rolled her eyes before taking another sip of gin. "I mean, you did choose me?"

"I will give you that, I made the right choice there." Erin slipped her hand across the bar to wrap her hand around Penelope's wrist, squeezing softly as she gazed into her eyes. "I think that I would like to head back to my house after our date?"

"I think that I would like that very much indeed, Erin. I'll make certain to pack an overnight bag, in case we stay up too late talking. Or using our mouths in other pleasurable pursuits." She gave Erin a broad wink before licking her lips a little. Erin focused in on her mouth, and Penelope chuckled a little as she turned her hand over, ghosting her fingers over the sensitive skin of Erin's arm. A delicious shiver coursed through the woman's body, and it was all Penelope could do to keep from leaning across the space that separated them and kissing her senseless in that moment. "Hello!" she called out, glancing over her shoulder at the couple who had just entered, frowning a little when they made a beeline for Erin. "May I help you?" she asked, immediately defensive.

"Chief Strauss, we just heard about your suspension."

Erin blanched a little as she turned her head to look at the pair before fumbling for Penelope's hand and holding on tightly as she contorted her body so that she was facing them. "And you felt the need to track me down, Agent Jareau?" The blonde woman blushed a little as she shrugged. "I didn't think that you or Doctor Reid cared enough to find out my location and discuss what happened earlier today. Though I suppose that the rumor mill is already running with my humiliation."

The young man, who Penelope assumed was Doctor Reid, frowned at her before turning his head and staring at Erin. "I know that Hotch has been quashing any and all rumors that he hears, reminding the spreader about the need for discretion and care with their words. And Rossi mentioned a week ago that you had found a place to be yourself, and with my memory, I was able to get here. Is it really wise to be drinking so early in the day?"

"She can do whatever she pleases," Penelope said hotly, ignoring Erin's sharp squeeze on her hand. "And if I'm correct, I believe that Erin would like to know why it is that you followed her here. She doesn't need more people in her life treating her like she's a pariah for having sex. Most adult have it, you know."

"Penny…"

"What? I'm going to defend my friend. You need someone on your side right now." Erin gave her a small, sad, smile before turning to look at the pair once more. "Now, state your intentions or get the hell out of my bar. Persephone only accepts those with good intent."

Doctor Reid raised his eyebrows at her before nodding slowly. "We came to make certain that Chief Strauss knew we weren't all in support of what happened. Agent Anderson was the one who went running to the Director, and Prentiss is already taking care of that particular issue. I know that we've had issues with how hard you are on us as a team, but that should never extend into our personal lives. I'm sorry that this escalated into something that hurt you personally and professionally, and we will try to make certain that that doesn't happen again. If you need anything in the next two weeks, let myself or JJ know, and we'll see that you get it." He turned his attention to her then, and Penelope blanched a little at the scrutiny. "I promise, Penelope."

She gave him a slow nod before turning her attention back to Erin, knowing that they would have to speak once the pair were gone. "I will hold you to that promise, Doctor Reid. Now, I really don't think that you should drink during the workday, so I suppose that you should be heading back to work now?"

Agent Jareau nodded tightly before taking hold of Doctor Reid's elbow and guiding him out of the bar. It was only when the door had closed that she allowed herself to relax, and she looked into Erin's eyes, seeing the deep admiration there. "While you don't need to protect me quite so fiercely, I do appreciate how quickly you stood up for me. Lean in?"

Penelope tilted her head a little in confusion as she did what Erin asked. And then she let out a soft sigh when the woman kissed her softly before caressing her cheek. "That was sweet," she said as she stood back from Erin, taking a look at the smile on her lips. "And you look more settled than when you came in here. But were you expecting them to show up here like that?"

"No, but I am sort of glad that they did, because it helps me know that things might not be quite so bad as I imagined them to be between us all. And it gives me an excuse to start being a little nicer to them. It will be slow going at first, but I think that with you by my side, even if we're only friends, if things don't work out between us, that I can make it work." The smile that spread across Erin's face took Penelope's breath away and she gave the woman a small nod, suddenly looking more forward to Saturday.


	13. Chapter 13

"You look fine, Penelope. She's going to love your outfit."

She smoothed invisible wrinkles out of her skirt as she shrugged a little. "I know, Der, but I want to look perfect for her. It's ridiculous, it's just a formality of a first date, since we know the attraction is there. But I really want to impress Erin."

He chuckled a little, shaking his head. "I think that you know that you've already impressed her enough to keep returning to our bar, day after day. She's even stopped in a few times when you aren't here, getting to know me and Ashley and Gideon a little better. Erin wants to be a part of your life, and that is one of the sweetest things to find in this life. Go, have a good time, and come in Monday prepared to tell me all the best details."

"I'm not going to tell you if we wind up in bed tonight. Though if it would embarrass you…" She gave him a little wink before leaning in and kissing his cheek. "All right, I think that my cab is about to arrive, so I'm going to be here in a few minutes, so I'm going to head outside and wait for it. Wish me luck?"

"Good luck, even though you're not going to need it." He rubbed her shoulder softly before pushing her towards the door, and she gave him a small nod before turning and heading outside. Pulling out her phone, she saw that Erin had texted to let her know that she had arrived at the restaurant and had already been seated, and would await her arrival.

"Frak," she muttered as she looked around for her taxi. Letting out a long breath, she hurried over to where it was just pulling to a stop and climbed into the back seat. "Thank goodness you're a little early. My date has already arrived, and I hate being the last one to arrive."

The man chuckled and nodded a little. "I'll see what I can do to make up some time for you, then."

"Thank you!" She sat back in the seat and tapped out a reply to Erin, letting her know that she was on her way and would be there shortly. Then she glanced at the medallion on the backseat, smiling to see that her cabbie was named Steve. They did make good time, and when they pulled to a stop, she saw that she was only about fifteen minutes behind Erin. "Here, keep the change, Steve," she said brightly, shoving the fare plus a generous tip through the small window to the front.

Clambering out of the taxi, Penelope tried to act cool and calm as she shook out her skirt and took measured steps into the restaurant, approaching the host with a tiny smile on her lips. "May I help you?"

"Yes, I'm meeting someone? Erin Strauss?" The woman gave her a small nod before gesturing for Penelope to follow her. Breathing in a gulp of air, she nodded and again made certain to take slow, steady, steps in order to deflect from how nervous she was about how this date would turn out. She caught sight of Erin before getting to the table, and her eyes widened as she took in the outfit the woman was wearing. She thought that she would be prepared for anything, but seeing the woman in dressy, non-business, clothes took her breath away.

Erin got to her feet as they stopped at the table, and Penelope went around the host to hug Erin tightly before taking her seat. "You look gorgeous, Penelope."

"I was about to say the same for you, Erin." Their hands met across the table, and Penelope felt her smile widen a little at how right the touch felt. "Did you place a drink order for us?"

"I took the liberty of ordering us a bottle of shiraz, since it appeared to be your favourite type of red wine. It should be here shortly." Penelope nodded as she squeezed Erin's hand before letting go and picking up her menu, looking it over before settling on the Provençal Ratatouille. Laying the menu back down in front of her, she stared into Erin's face, barely noticing when their server appeared with the bottle of wine, pouring them each a glass before setting the bottle on the table.

"Are you ladies ready to order?"

Penelope nodded as she glanced up at the young man. "I believe that I am. Erin?" The woman nodded, and she let out a soft giggle when they ended up ordering the same dish. "Great minds think alike?" she teased once their server had left, and Erin shrugged a little as she picked up her wine and took a sip.

"I wasn't in the mood for anything really heavy this evening. Especially since this will be my only glass of wine. I am driving after all."

"There is that. Unless you're just trying to get me to lower my inhibitions. You don't need to worry about that, I'll willingly tumble into bed with you with just one word. That is, if you still want to explore a physical relationship with me."

She didn't quite know why she was feeling so vulnerable, but she was in that moment, and Erin cocked her head to one side as she gave her a sad look. "Do you really not believe me when I say that you're beautiful? Because you are, inside and out. And I truly want to make love with you, to let you know just how beautiful I find you as I worship your body, making you sing beneath my lips and fingers. For too long, I've been passive with sex. With you, I know that I can be a little more aggressive, and I look forward to exercising that new found facet of myself."

"Oh!" she squeaked out as she picked up her own glass of wine, taking a large gulp before tugging at the neckline of her dress as she gazed at a spot on the table. "I have been waiting for this moment since you came over to my apartment. I want this to be sweet. Is that stupid?"

"Not at all. Because I hope that tonight will be sweet for us both, as well. But you didn't bring a bag with you."

Penelope shrugged a little as she smiled up at their server placing their food down in front of them. As soon as he had disappeared, she fixed her eyes on Erin once more, giving her a gentle smile as she picked up her fork and tapped it against the side of the plate. "I figured that you'd not mind seeing me in the morning without full makeup, and that we wouldn't need pyjamas, so all I brought was a fresh dress and underwear for tomorrow."

"How practical of you, darling." The purr in Erin's voice caused her to shiver a little, and she nodded a little as she picked up her wine glass to take a deep drink. "Though if you did want to wear some of my makeup, I wouldn't mind."

"We'll have to see how I feel tomorrow. Though it would be a much different look for me, since you were more neutral colours than I do." Erin nodded a little as she began to eat, and Penelope felt her smile widen as she also dug into her dish, suddenly finding herself ravenous. "Though there is something to be said for the look you created tonight, as it has thoroughly enchanted me. Maybe, if you feel up to it, you could do my look before you send me home?"

"I would love to do that for you." Erin slipped her hand across the table and picked up Penelope's, squeezing it softly as she looked into her eyes, the softness creeping into her gaze matching the softness that had begun to fill Penelope's heart.


	14. Chapter 14

The meal had been quite filling, but Penelope found herself still hungry. It was a hunger that she knew couldn't be sated in public, and from the heated looks that Erin had been throwing her way by the end of the meal, Penelope knew that she was feeling the same way. Though she did find a weird case of nerves start to build in the pit of her stomach as Erin took hold of her hand and led her from the restaurant after settling the bill. She didn't know why she was starting to get nervous, when she knew that Erin wouldn't hurt her or do anything that would hurt her.

"What's wrong?" Erin asked as they came to a stop outside her car, and Penelope shrugged, wondering how Erin had been able to read her so well. After all, she had been trying to keep her features schooled. "Penelope, you can't hide from a profiler."

"Oh." She leaned back against the car and reached out for Erin's hands, clasping them firmly as she looked into her eyes. "I don't know why I'm nervous. We've kissed. You've slept on me. Sex is normal and natural, and I desire you so very much. But my last relationship did not end well, and while I had thought that I was over them, I guess that some of the hangups have remained?"

"Darling, that is perfectly all right. I mean, I did just make the colossal mistake of sleeping with David. And while I'm nervous about taking this next step, since I don't have a lot of liquid courage to tell me that everything I do will be pleasing to you, that my body will be pretty enough for you, I know that you'll not hurt me. I trust you enough to know that this will be gentle and kind."

The tears that sprang up in her eyes made Erin's face blurry as Penelope pulled her in close so that she could bury her face in her neck, not wanting Erin to see her tears. "I am so glad that we found each other when we did. Though if tonight goes well, I might have to call you at work and ask you to talk dirty to me. That is something that I enjoy?" She let out a watery giggle as she tried to lighten the mood that had sprung up between them.

"We might have to work up to that, darling," Erin murmured before pulling away a little to kiss her cheek. "I'm not that bold."

"Oh, let me teach you how to be bold, then," she purred before stepping away and looking into Erin's face. "I do believe that there might be a minx buried beneath that sweet Persian kitty exterior you wear."

"I suppose that you'll just have to strip me to find out."

Penelope let out a quick laugh as she raised her eyebrows. "There she is," she said as she took hold of Erin's hand, squeezing it lightly. "Now, might I be so bold as to request an end of date kiss before we head to your home?"

Erin smiled before closing the distance between them once more, one hand reaching behind her head to cup her skull and pull her in close before kissing her deeply, pressing her back against the cold metal of her car. Penelope whimpered a little as the kiss deepened, her leg rising a little to hook around Erin's in order to hold her close as they continued to make out like hormonal teenagers. She felt like she had been waiting for a moment like this all her life, and she didn't want to let go of it now that it was in her reach. "If, if we keep this up, we'll be arrested for public indecency," Erin panted as she finally pulled her face away from Penelope's, staring into her eyes. "But your lips make it so hard to stay away."

"Well, let's hurry back to your place then, so we don't have to worry about giving people a juicy story to talk about at the watercooler come Monday." Erin laughed as she nodded, giving Penelope a light peck on the lips before stepping away from her and straightening her hair a little. "I cannot wait to see you come undone," she murmured as she slipped into the passenger seat, fastening her belt before turning a little so that she could keep her eyes on Erin as she drove.

"Would you tell me a story about yourself while I drive? I need to have some purer thoughts in my head than what is currently there," Erin admitted shyly.

"I can do that, certainly. So, when I was little, I was often at the bar, in the back booth, since my mother couldn't really afford a babysitter. Even after she married my stepfather, and I gained four stepbrothers, I found that I would rather be there than at home with them. I loved my grandfather, since he was a brilliant man, and I learned my first coding from him, since he just knew that technology would be the way forward. Though I didn't talk about it at school, he was one of the early adopters of what would become the internet. I learned so much from him, about that, and about how to run a bar, and how to be a good person. Harry? He was one of my grandfather's closest friends, and that's why I can rely on him to look after the bar when emergencies arrive. He was also the one who prodded me to talk to you and draw you out of your shell. He saw what we were headed to, and I don't think I'll ever be able to thank him enough for that. The bar shaped my life in so many ways that I won't ever be able to quantify, but I know that it may have brought me the best thing in my life. You."

She hadn't meant to reveal herself quite so much, but once the words started pouring from her lips, she couldn't quite stop them. Holding her breath, she waited for Erin to respond, and the longer it took, the more she started to worry that she had made a major misstep by being so forward. And then, Erin was coming to a stop at a red light, and she looked over at her quickly. "I don't know how much time I have, so lean over."

Penelope frowned, but did as asked, suddenly grinning when Erin kissed her fast and hard. "What was that for?"

"For being the best thing to come into my life in these last few months." The light turned green, and Erin started forward once more. "I was stupidly nervous to admit that, but hearing you say it first made it all the easier. I don't know where things will head from here, but we have a sweet friendship, and that is the best foundation to start out on a journey like this. Isn't it?"

Those words were a sweet balm to her nerves, and she nodded a little as she settled back in the seat once more. "It is, Erin. Though I think that from here on out, your drinks are going to be on the house. I can't very well ask my partner to pay."

"You can, and you will. Because if you don't, I'll just make certain that I come in when Derek or Gideon is working and settle my tab with them." Penelope just barely caught the wink Erin gave her, and so she just let out a little sigh and shook her head, knowing that there was no way she could argue with the woman and come out ahead in this case. "Although I won't say no to occasional discounts. As long as it doesn't affect your bottom line."

"I will keep that in mind," she said lowly, leaning in a little closer to Erin so that their upper arms were touching the rest of the way to Erin's home.


	15. Chapter 15

The rest of the drive didn't take too long, but as Erin parked in her garage, Penelope found her nerves starting to act up once more. She had never been like this when going to sleep with a partner before, but a part of her mind recognized that Erin was special, and that if she played her hand right, she might even be the one. Penelope had never thought that she might settle down, she had always thought of herself as a free spirit, as her grandfather had labelled her all those years ago. But the prospect of having Erin as a part of her life until they died was strangely appealing to her, and so she knew that she didn't want to fuck up this first time.

"Welcome home."

"Oh," she breathed out, feeling how right those two words sounded falling from Erin's lips. "Stupid question, but suddenly, it seems so important. Before we sleep together, will this mean that I can finally meet your children? I don't want to upset anything with your custody arrangement, but I would love to meet them."

Erin's face softened into a pleased expression as she nodded. "I was thinking, actually, if you wouldn't mind…having them over for supper tomorrow night? I know, you'll only have what you brought to wear, and that you'll not be able to make up your face like you normally would, but I was waiting to hear those words from you for the last week that I just want to have it happen all of a sudden?"

"You want me to spend the whole day with you tomorrow?" she teased, winking broadly at Erin to let her know that she was teasing. Erin nodded, a slight blush staining her cheeks. "I would love to have the honor of meeting them. And now this really does mean you have to do my makeup, since I don't have my kit with me, just my lipstick. I really want to know how you'll make me look."

"Okay." Erin pulled out her cellphone, tapping away on it before sliding it into her pocket and looking at Penelope expectantly. "Now it's just up to them to say yes. And for you to say yes. You could just head up to the guest room…"

Penelope stopped Erin's words with a fierce kiss, closing her hand around the woman's shoulder as she tried to deepen the kiss as best she could in the enclosed space. "I think that tells you just how much I want this to continue. Please, make love with me tonight?"

Erin smiled as she nodded, reaching out to caress Penelope's face before opening the car door and heading up to the house. Penelope was a little slower to follow, but as soon as the door leading to the house was open, she picked up her step and caught up to the woman, encircling her arm around Erin's waist and pressing a kiss to her neck before the woman turned in her arms and gave her a blistering kiss. "If you're going to be a tease, at least make certain that I can reciprocate. Take hold of my hand, and I'll bring you up to the bedroom."

"Yes," she breathed out as she clasped Erin's hand, allowing herself to be led through the house and up to the bedroom. It was different to see the room from the standpoint of being hers, and she shivered a little as she followed Erin over to the closet.

"You should probably hang your dress up, so that it has time to breathe. I mean, we could probably iron it tomorrow, but I'd rather spend time with you doing something a little more fun?"

Penelope let out a breathy giggle as she nodded, unzipping her purse and pulling out the garment she had chosen for the next day. It wasn't much to look at, but it was one of her favorite outfits. A part of her had thought that she didn't have to impress Erin, and while that might be true, she now had to think about what first impression she would give to her children. "I hope this is good enough for your kids."

"Darling, it will be fine. I promise." Erin once more caressed her face, and Penelope found that she loved that touch from her, since it seemed so specifically meant for her, as if she hadn't done that with Alan or David. "And if they're a little standoffish, well, that's to be expected when someone new enters their lives. This first meeting won't be all sunshine and roses, even I can admit that. But I know that with time, you'll be able to win them over with that sunny personality of yours. But if things do go especially well, you may feel free to call me Tuesday and talk as dirty to me as you wish."

"Why Tuesday?" she asked as Erin started to run the zipper of the dress she was wearing down Penelope's back.

"Because Monday is never a good day to have fun. There are too many emails and reports to deal with. And Tuesday, I also have a really boring budgetary meeting to attend, so anything to take my mind off that will be a pleasure." Penelope giggled as she nodded, pursing her lips a little as her dress dropped around her feet, revealing most of her body to Erin. "Oh, my darling Penelope, if you could see yourself through my eyes, you wouldn't have that look on your face right now. Here, undress me, so that you're not feeling quite so exposed."

She nodded a little as she reached out, sliding her hands down Erin's side until she reached her waistband. Gently, she tugged the silk blouse out of her skirt and then over her body, letting the garment join her dress on the floor while she fumbled around for the zipper on Erin's skirt. She couldn't help but cop a feel of her ass, finding the flesh soft in the best way. She let out a sigh as she stepped back from Erin, wanting to take a look at her fully. Her breasts were encased in a pretty lilac lace bra, and as her eyes roved lower, she saw that a matching pair of lilac lace panties covered her ass. "Fuck," she breathed out, suddenly wanting to touch and kiss and caress every inch of Erin's body.

"Indeed," Erin replied, ticking an eyebrow upwards as she led Penelope over to the bed, pulling the covers back before gesturing for her to take a seat. Penelope complied, only to squeak a little when Erin sank to her knees in front of her, reaching behind Penelope's back to unclasp her bra and tug it from her arms. "I am going to love every moment of loving on you, Penelope Garcia."

"And I am going to love every moment of loving you," she replied, only realizing what she had said when a pleased smile crossed Erin's lips before she leaned in and pressed a delicate, tender, kiss to where Penelope's heart was beating an unsteady tattoo in her chest. "Um…"

"Shh, Penelope. Never be embarrassed for speaking the truth. And while I might not be able to speak quite so forthrightly at the moment, I have the distinct feeling that that emotion is welling up in my heart as well. Please, be patient with me."

"As if I could be anything else, Erin." They sighed in tandem before Penelope reached out and unclasped Erin's bra before tugging on her arm gently, wanting her up on the bed next to her so that they could make love on equal footing.


	16. Chapter 16

Penelope woke up to the sweet feeling of Erin's lips against hers, kissing her awake, and she slowly opened her eyes to see the woman looking at her, such tenderness in her gaze that Penelope felt indescribably gorgeous. "Good morning, darling," Erin murmured. "I'm sorry for the morning breath, but I couldn't resist kissing you as soon as I woke up."

"After the night that we just shared, I think that I can live with a little morning breath, Erin," she said before kissing her once more. "All right, you said never shy away from speaking the truth, so I'm going to be open and vulnerable with you here. I've never felt so right the first time with someone. Anyone. There was something about how focused you were on me and my pleasure that I just…wow?"

Erin let out a nervous little laugh as she nodded, sitting up and resting against the headboard of the bed as she allowed the sheets to pool around her waist. Penelope licked her lips a little at the sight of her breasts in the morning light, only for Erin's laugh to turn a little more carnal as she shook her head. "One track mind, much?" she teased, and Penelope shrugged as she sat up and copied Erin's pose. "I'm glad that what I did was pleasing to you. I tried to share with you everything that I wished Alan would have done with me. I shied away from what David and I shared, because that's still a sore spot. I, my body was pretty?"

"Oh, my love, your body is magnificent. You're shapely, and soft, and everything that I love in a lover. My lover." She blinked back a few tears before reaching out to cup her face, running her thumb along Erin's cheekbone. "You're mine, I hope you don't mind me claiming you like that."

Erin shook her head a little as she leaned forward, resting her forehead against Penelope's. "I think I always knew that if we took this next step, that this would be a little more permanent than just a quick roll in the hay. And I am perfectly okay with that, with you." She let out a deep sigh as she turned more fully towards Penelope, wrapping her arm around her waist as she snuggled in close to her once more.

"Oh, lover, you're going to make me thoroughly domesticated before too long." Erin nodded as she ran her hand up and down Penelope's side, as if memorizing the shape and curves of her body. "I hate to even think about asking you to move away from me, but I really need to pee, and I should probably wash the makeup off my face."

"All right. I'll go down and start breakfast. After you take care of your needs, grab one of the robes out of the bathroom closet and join me in the kitchen?"

"Of course," she instantly replied before kissing Erin. Shimmying off the bed, she padded over to the door that she assumed was for the master bathroom, smiling to herself when she found herself correct. It didn't take long for her to pee, and then she was washing her hands before grabbing a washcloth out of the shower and wetting it, carefully washing her face free from the remains of last night's makeup. Once she was satisfied with how she looked, she opened the closet door and found the robes Erin had spoken of, grabbing the fluffiest one and wrapping it around her body before making her way down to the kitchen.

"That didn't take too long, darling," Erin said without turning away from the stove.

"It was just a wee and a wash," she replied as she went over to her side, leaning against the counter as she watched the woman prepare them pancakes. "Your bathroom is so neat compared to mine. I wish I could be that organized, but it just seems to get away from me. You're definitely going to have to teach me some of your tricks."

"If that's what you want," Erin replied before flipping the pancakes on the griddle. With that done, she turned her head and stole a quick kiss. "And my children will be here at four. It seems that Tabitha would like to cook with us, though Bruce and Karen should stay in the living room, watching tv or reading. They've never really cared to help out in the kitchen, though they were always quick to clean."

"I was always a cook with my mum and grandfather, too. Cleaning was never in my wheelhouse. I do it, because it needs to be done, but there is so much else I'd rather do."

Erin nodded before taking a deep breath. "All right, so, emotional honesty this morning?" Penelope dipped her head twice, and then Erin's back was stiffening, which told Penelope that she was about to reveal something very personal about herself, which maybe no one else knew. "So, you remember how I told you that I had one large regret about my job?"

"Yes."

"I'm not proud of this, my darling. If I could go back in time and make one little change, it would probably be this decision. I had a lover in the BAU, well, it was still the BSU then. She and I had a mutual attraction and that led to us making a rash decision to become a friends with benefits situation, even though we were both married at the time." Erin's words were measured, controlled, and Penelope could tell by how tightly she held the spatula handle that she was struggling to keep telling her truth. "Well, there was a rather difficult case that we were working on, and Alex made a tiny mistake that led to the wrong person being arrested. It was a PR nightmare, and I had to set aside my personal feelings for her, and do what was necessary. I fired her. It destroyed my heart, but there was no way that I could pull punches and potentially expose what we had been doing. Then I would have been fired, too, and that couldn't happen. Not when I had just found out I was pregnant with Karen. I fucked her over, Penelope, and I have never been able to tell her how sorry I was. Every letter I sent after that decision was sent back return to sender. All my calls were unanswered. I deserved it, but it still hurt. And I can understand if you look at me differently, if you don't want to go forward with our relationship, but I would rather be honest with you now, when losing you won't hurt as badly as if I had waited a year or two and fallen into the deep end of love and had you leave me."

Erin had managed to make four more pancakes in the time it took her to speak those words, and Penelope felt her heart shatter a little at the notion that Erin had probably expected her to end things in that moment. Slowly, gently, she reached out and took hold of Erin's hand before turning off the burner with her other. "Erin, you're human. We all do things that we regret, and this one is probably larger than most other people's regret. Somehow, I have the feeling that you've changed since then, and become someone who would make a different decision if that was the case today. You can't scare my love away so easily, I promise."

The older woman's eyes teared up and as the spatula clattered down onto the counter, she was being drawn into a tight embrace. "I am so glad that you are my better place, Penelope," she whispered fiercely, and Penelope nodded as she returned the hug, knowing that there was no other place she would rather be in that moment.


	17. Chapter 17

"Are you certain I look all right? I want to make a good first impression on your children, and I feel like except for my makeup, I'm a total schlub." Penelope picked at her skirt, feeling like this was going to end in disaster.

Erin picked up her hand and threaded their fingers together. "You look beautiful, Penelope. My children will like you, you're vivacious and charming. And Alan has introduced them to his partner's already, so this won't be something altogether new for them." Erin smiled prettily at her before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "Now, let's head into the kitchen and decided on something to make, since there's not time to head to the store to get supplies."

"And that will help take my mind off meeting them. I know, I'm being stupid."

"It is not stupid, darling. I think it's rather endearing that you're nervous about this next step. It shows just how much character you have, since some of Alan's new partners haven't been quite as thoughtful, or at least that's what Tabitha tells me. She's the most like me, out of all my children, and while her headstrong nature will do her much good later in life, she needs to learn how to put on a veneer of gentility."

Penelope laughed at that description, and Erin shrugged a little as she led her into the kitchen. "It would be easy to make spaghetti or something like that. I might even be able to whip up a tomato sauce if you had all the right ingredients," she said off-handedly. "Where's your pantry?"

"Why do you think I have a pantry?"

"The size of this house? You have to have a room just for dry ingredients and whatnot." Erin groaned a little as she finally nodded, pointing at a door that Penelope had overlooked the previous time she had been in her home. "All right, let me go digging around in there, and we'll see if what I choose comes up to snuff."

"All right. Would you like me to start some coffee?"

"Tea would be better, honestly. Lady Grey, if you have it. Otherwise any black tea would be nice." This time, Penelope pecked at Erin's cheek before disappearing into the pantry. It was well stocked, and she quickly settled on a pasta dish, hoping that Erin had chicken in the refrigerator, otherwise they would be having a vegetarian meal. That suited her just fine, she was halfway on her way to being a complete vegetarian at the moment, but she didn't know how Erin's children would feel about that. Letting out a little sigh, she carried the ingredients into the kitchen before rummaging around in the fridge until she found a package of chicken breasts. She also pulled out a large bag of mozzarella cheese, knowing that she would need to add that to the meal at the end, too. "All right, now to wait for your children to get here so that Tabitha can help us out in the kitchen."

Erin smiled as she pulled the kettle off the burner, filling their cups with the boiling water before handing one to Penelope. "Hopefully it's somewhat easy, since Tabitha enjoys the idea of cooking, but the further she gets into a dish, the less enthusiastic she becomes."

"This is something that I can easily finish on my own, if need be, don't worry."

Erin nodded as she relaxed against the counter, watching Penelope. "I wish that you had brought a proper bag, with more clothes, so that you could spend the night again tonight. Maybe not to make love again, but to cuddle and sleep."

"Well, I suppose that I could always be persuaded to wear this dress tomorrow, if…"

"If?"

"You kiss me right now." Erin rolled her eyes a little before leaning in and giving her a delicate kiss. "That's what you call a kiss?"

"For the moment, yes. My children are due in five minutes, and though I want to say that I don't mind them knowing I'm in a relationship, I don't want them to know that what we have is physical? There are some things that I would love to leave to the imagination. I'm sorry if that bothers you?"

"No, you're fine. I didn't think about that, but you're right, certain things should be kept private between us. In time, they can see us kissing a little more passionately in front of them. But they have to grow accustomed to the idea of us, first." She stroked Erin's arm softly, giving her a small smile before sighing. "So, what time will we wake up tomorrow?"

"Early. We'll both need to shower, after all."

Penelope shook her head. "I can shower tonight, before we head to sleep. I prefer showering at night, because after a long day at the bar, the smell just lingers, and I need to go to sleep clean." She leaned in and nipped Erin's earlobe as carefully as she could. "Though, I'd love to get clean with you."

A fast blush spread across Erin's face as she choked back a laugh. "I don't think that I'm young enough, honestly, for that. But I suppose that I might be up for trying. It is very nice to get squeaky clean after a time of being dirty."

Penelope gave her a small look of shock, before bursting into a gale of laughter. "And you try to say that you're straight-laced and uptight? Oh, my dear Erin, there is a minx buried beneath that cool exterior of yours, and I cannot wait to bring that side of you out to the light." She was going to say more when the doorbell rang, and they both sighed heavily. "That's your children. They're just as punctual as you, it seems."

Erin laughed as she nodded. "That would be Karen. She's the one that picked up that part of my personality. One more quick kiss before I answer the door?" Penelope nodded and their lips met in a sweet kiss before Erin left the kitchen to let her children in. While she waited to meet the children, Penelope smoothed the fabric of her skirt, trying not to allow the butterflies in her stomach take over. She knew that Erin was right, the children would follow Erin's lead and would be sympathetic towards her.

The sound of voices came towards her, and she plastered a smile on her lips as she tried to take deep breaths in order to calm her rapidly beating heart. And then, three little clones of Erin came traipsing into the kitchen, chattering animatedly between themselves. The youngest of the trio looked up at her, and the smile on her lips widened a little as she stepped towards her. "Hi, I'm Tabitha. Mom has never been happier since she met you, so I am very pleased to meet you." Before she could react to those words, Tabitha had stepped into her personal space and tugged her into a tight hug. "Mom also said that we're going to cook together while Karen and Bruce relax in the living room. Dad's picking us up at nine, since that's when his date will be over. That's the only reason he agreed to let us come over and meet you. Normally, his weeks with us mean that we spend every minute with him or alone, because he's a jerk to Mom."

Penelope met Erin's eyes, and tried not to smile at the expression on her face. "So I've gathered. But I really should introduce myself to your siblings." Tabitha nodded as she took hold of Penelope's hand and brought her over to the group, and somehow Penelope knew that this small gesture was definitely telling for how the rest of her relationship with them would be.


	18. Chapter 18

Penelope woke up with a groan of pleasure, turning to find her Erin curled up close to her side, her head resting on her shoulder. There was something so trusting about the way her posture, and Penelope wished that they could stay like this for hours. Taking a glance over at the clock, she knew that the alarm would be going off in about ten minutes, so she snuggled closer to her lover in order to relish the last of this time spent together. She had almost fallen back asleep by the time the alarm rang, and then Erin was stirring in her arms, coming to wakefulness slowly as her arm reached out to smack at the device, ending the loud beep before looking at Penelope.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Erin. Are you going to be seeing me later today?"

Erin shook her head a little as she sat up, stretching and nodding her head back and forth to work out the morning kinks. Penelope felt like she could watch her for eternity, which Erin seemed to recognize, as she slowed her movements a touch, making them a little more sensual than necessary. "I wish, but there's some school function that I have to attend with Alan, and it would be better if I didn't go there smelling like delicious gin. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for. I'll just have to look forward to our call tomorrow. Would you rather have it be in the morning or afternoon?"

She grinned a little as Erin scooted over and draped her body over Penelope's. "I'd rather it be in the afternoon. I took a look at when the meeting is going to be, and it looks like I'll have a working lunch, starting at eleven, lasting until two. If you call after then, like half past, then you can pull me out of my funk. Also, since it's my week with the children, we won't be able to have a date. Could we make plans for next Saturday?"

"Of course, Erin. I'll put you in my calendar as soon as we get downstairs. I do hope that you'll be spending some time at Persephone in the next two weeks, though. I think that I'd miss your face too much if you weren't around for twelve whole days."

A low chuckle dropped from Erin's lips as she nodded. "Of course you'll see me before then. I don't think that I could go twelve whole days without seeing your face, either." She caressed Penelope's cheek before giving her a soft kiss. "And now, I need to start getting ready for my day. Unfortunately, the BAU does not wait for anyone. Mondays really are the worst day for my job."

"I wish that I could make it easier for you."

"You did by letting me wake up in your arms, darling Penelope." Erin gave her another kiss before slipping off the bed and going over to the closet. "What color blouse should I wear today?"

"Purple. Purple is a great color on you, and it also happens to be my favorite. So even though it's going to be a rough day, you can look at your shirt and know that I'm with you, even if only in spirit." The smile that lit up Erin's face was breathtaking to behold, and Penelope felt her heart lurch in her chest at it. "I wish that I worked with you," she breathed out.

"No, you don't. If we worked together, we couldn't be together. There are quite strict fraternization rules that I totally looked over when I slept with David. Which is why I was suspended for those two weeks. And given how much I care for you, I don't think I could keep everything under wraps, and then we'd probably both be fired. Can you imagine the scandal that would follow that? No. You stay the owner of your family bar, and I'll remain Section Chief at the BAU, and we will eventually get to the point where we live together and maybe even get married. That might be a few years in the future, but that is the future I want to work towards."

"I love the future that you see for us. It will take me a little while to wrap my mind around the thought of living with another person, since I've always been a bit of a free spirit, but if you're patient with me, perhaps we can make that vision of yours a reality sooner than I would think." She climbed out of bed and went over to Erin's side, kissing her cheek softly before tousling her hair. From the look her lover gave her, Penelope knew that she did not like that move, and she chuckled a little before drawing her hand back.

"I only like that when we're in bed together." Penelope nodded. "But yes, it will take time, but as long as we're willing to work at things, our future will be bright indeed. Now, I need to use the bathroom and put my makeup on. This time, will you make breakfast and coffee for us?"

"I would love to do that for us." Penelope gave her a quick kiss before slipping her dress off the hanger Erin had placed it on last night. "And thanks for doing a load of wash just so I could wear fresh underwear home."

"I had some to do myself, so it wasn't an inconvenience." Erin gave her a warm smile before slipping past her and heading into the master bathroom. Once the door was closed, Penelope picked up her fresh underwear and slipped into them, feeling extremely loved in that moment, even if Erin wasn't ready to say those words. Once she was dressed, Penelope went out to the other bathroom, quickly washing her face and finger brushing her teeth before using the comb laying on the countertop to somewhat tame her hair until she could get home and properly shower.

Once she felt refreshed, Penelope headed down to the kitchen and started to make omelettes for them both, feeling in the mood for that this morning. She was just folding them when Erin entered the kitchen, her perfume tickling Penelope's nose. "That looks delicious," her lover said as she hooked an arm around her waist, and Penelope let out a little sigh of pleasure before leaning back against her. "A woman could grow accustomed to this level of care very quickly."

"A woman could grow accustomed to providing it, as long as it's all reversed every once in a while. But I think that that discussion should be had in two or three months? I don't want to just jump into living with you, because I want to make certain that this relationship lasts. You're my better place to be, but I still need a little firmer foundation?"

"Of course, darling. I don't want to jump into anything, either. I was just so overjoyed that the children took to you so well, especially Karen. I thought she would be the hardest to win over, and yet it seems like she took the lead and helped Bruce and Tabitha be a little more welcoming. Oh, I am so glad that I walked into your bar a few months ago. It has brought me such happiness in some very dark months of my life." Erin kissed her cheek softly before letting go of her and pouring their coffee into mugs and taking a seat at the table.

"And I am so glad that you found my bar. I never expected to fall quite so hard for a pretty blonde, but it happened, and I am that much better for it. Now, we should eat, because I think that you need to be heading to work, unfortunately." Erin glanced at her watch and nodded, a slight frown marring her face. "I know, I don't want this magical weekend to end, either, but all good things…"

"I know, darling. But we both have tomorrow afternoon to look forward to." Erin smiled and winked at her before tucking into the food in front of her. "And don't worry, I won't make you hire a cab this morning. There will be more than enough time for me to drop you off. Because I will gladly take as much time with you as I can." Penelope nodded, copying Erin and digging into her omelette, knowing that they were so close to mornings like this being a permanent part of their reality, and she couldn't wait to see where it led next.


	19. Chapter 19

Penelope let out a nervous breath, taking a look at her reflection in the mirror. "You look fine, Penelope. Mama is going to love your dress. I just can't believe that Mister Rossi pulled this all together on such short notice!"

"Well, when you're a rich author, you can basically do anything at a moment's notice," she replied as she tugged at the neckline of her dress. "Are you sure this isn't too out there for a wedding ceremony?"

"Agent Jareau is wearing the traditional all white dress. It makes sense that you stay true to your own aesthetic. Personally? I like your look a lot better. Is there anything more romantic than a double wedding? It's just like the end of Pride and Prejudice!" Tabitha squealed out before wrapping Penelope up in a tight hug. "Mama is just going to die when she sees you! Especially the fascinator!"

"Yeah," she breathed out as she took one last look at her reflection, changing the angle of the fascinator a little before moving away from the mirror and picking up her bouquet. "I think I'm ready."

"All right, I'll head down to the yard and join my siblings." Tabitha kissed her cheek softly before scurrying from the room, and Penelope took another deep breath before following after Tabitha. Agent Jareau was also just coming out of the room she had chosen to get dressed in, and she gave the younger woman a shy smile as they made their way to the stairs.

"I just want to say, I am so glad that you and Erin have made your relationship work. I know that we're not really acquaintances, but I think that I'd like to eventually become friends with you."

"I think that I'd like that, too. And you know where my bar is, so feel free to come join us at any time." Agent Jareau nodded, returning the smile. "And you look beautiful in that dress."

"Thanks, it was my mother's. I'm surprised that it fits, you know. I mean, it's a bit short, since I'm taller than she is, but other than that, it's perfect."

Penelope nodded and let out a long breath. "You, you don't mind sharing your wedding day with us? I think this is David's way of apologizing for the way he treated Erin a few years ago, and I just don't want there to be any bitterness between you and my soon to be wife."

"No, I think it's kind of sweet, honestly. We all needed a way to bond with her, and after she put herself on the line for us during that awful bank heist, well, I'm just glad that we all made it out alive and whole. I can't begin to imagine how you felt, watching that on television, and not being able to do anything about it."

She nodded as they started down the stairs, still not completely over the previous day's events. "Derek and Gideon did a really great job of keeping me distracted and busy until the worst of it was over. Your Agent Anderson was so kind in helping me get to the BAU so that I could be with her as soon as she came back. And now we're getting married! It still feels a bit like a dream."

"I know. But we all need this spot of pleasure after what happened. If Elle and Emily hadn't been quicker in figuring out what was happening, they might have been caught in that explosion instead of being blown clear." Penelope nodded as they reached the final step, and then they were each accepting one of Rossi's arms, allowing him to guide them down the short aisle to their intended spouses. Butterflies began to dance around in her stomach as she fixed her gaze on Erin, seeing that she looked resplendent in her white dress, her blonde hair done up in that soft chignon that she preferred. There were stalks of lily of the valley stuck in the updo, and that softness made her choke up a little, desperately trying to hold back the tears until later.

"You look delicious, Penelope," Erin whispered in her ear as they took their spots in front of the officiant, and Penelope blushed a little as she nodded. "I know it was so impulsive of me, but…"

"It was perfect." Erin nodded as they turned their attention to the officiant, going through the ceremony in tandem with Agent Jareau and Officer LaMontagne. It was a short ceremony, but it was perfect to her, and then they were kissing, sealing their marriage covenant. "I love you, Erin Garcia."

"And I love you, Penelope Garcia." Erin stroked her face tenderly before turning to face those who were gathered. Everyone wore happy smiles, and Erin seemed to melt against Penelope, as if she hadn't quite believed that her colleagues would be that receptive to her happiness. Rossi took a moment to invite them all over to the tables that were set in a U shape, and then led the couples over to the seats of honor. Erin pulled out her chair for Penelope before taking a seat herself, scooting it closer so that their shoulders would brush at random times. "Thank you for this precious gift."

"I should be thanking you, Erin. We've come so far since when you first walked into my bar, but I know that we are going to have a long way on our journey together." The sound of cutlery clinking against glasses caught their attention, and Penelope looked around until she saw that Derek was the one instigating the shenanigans already. Rolling her eyes at him a little, she leaned in and pecked at Erin's lips before picking up her glass and taking a few sips. Rossi was the next one to tap on his glass, and this time, Agent Jareau groaned a little as they kissed their spouses. "Is it going to be like this all night?" she asked the woman, and Agent Jareau nodded.

"My team likes to push boundaries, and now that they know Erin blushes every time, there will be no holding them back."

Penelope nodded before starting to dig into her meal, finding the catered food delicious. Their meal was relatively free from interruption, but she found herself grateful for every clink, as it led to a sweet buss from her wife. Wife. That word still sounded foreign to her ears, but it sat on her heart like a comfortable blanket. "And now, we dance," Erin murmured as they followed Agent Jareau and Officer LaMontagne to the now cleared patio.

The music came from a string quartet that she hadn't seen arrive, but it seemed appropriate for the end of their perfect evening. Penelope let out a little squeak of surprise when Erin tugged her flush against her body, one arm slung possessively around her waist as they swayed back and forth in a simple box step dance. "I don't want this moment to end, but I also want to experience our wedding night. What does that say about me?"

"That you have a one track mind this evening, my darling Penelope. Our wedding night will come soon enough, and then I can peel that dress off your body and taste every inch of your skin." She blushed at the dirty words tumbling from her wife's lips, and from the small gasp that came from somewhere near them, Agent Jareau had heard them, too.

"I have taught you to be incorrigible, Erin Garcia."

"Would you have me any other way?"

"No, darling." Penelope let her head come to rest on Erin's shoulder as they continued to share their first dance. There was something so lovely about the fairy lights that lit the patio, and she gave herself over to the beauty of the wedding that Rossi had thrown together so quickly. There was a magic about this moment, and she knew that in Erin's arms, she would always have her better place to be.


End file.
